Formation
by Rougemage Nick
Summary: The main characters, Anna, Jay, Nick, and Sasha, arrive onto Beacon grounds. The small encounters and general shenanigans they have will direct them onto the path that leads them to team-ship.
1. Chapter 1 : Day 1

**(A/N Im not uploading the fourth prologue yet, its currently unfinished, and we are unsure when we will finish it)**

Day 1:

The airship came slowly to a stop. With the altitude change, Nick could feel his prosthetic arm ache...A rare occurrence, but it did happen. He walked from the Airship, and behind him he could hear a boy throwing up in a nearby garbage bin. Probably the same blonde kid from earlier. He walked quickly, excitement at his arrival filling his bones and arm. He walked up to a light pole and gripped it with his HopeBringer arm. He needed the support, because he just still couldn't believe this. How exactly did this happen? How exactly did he manage Beacon Academy? He couldn't really remember...He was just excited. Elated...So much so that he didn't notice his mechanical arm's grip on the light pole until he heard the metal groan under pressure. He looked over at it. The metal had pretty much completely given away under his grip. He let go, leaving a mark in the metal in the shape of his hand. 'That's interesting,' he thought. But then the pole began to lean, and out of instinct, he dodged away from it, and it came down. He looked over just as a redheaded boy in a long black coat caught it over his head in both hands...Behind him stood two students, appearing to be siblings. Their faces looked frightened and surprised. Nick looked at the redheaded kid, and it looked like his eyes faded from gold, but he couldn't be sure. The boy who had caught the light post threw it lightly to his side, and it crashed to the ground. He turned to the students and raised his hand in a waving gesture.

"Go on then, you're not dead. You have some place to be, so be there." The kids immediately scuttled off towards the main building. The redhead turned to Nick. He wore glasses, had a face covered in freckles, and his hair was scruffy. Nick frowned at the man's brilliant red hair...He'd always wanted to be ginger...But he was also happy with his own pitch black hair. The man spoke up,

"I expect you'll be explaining that now?" Nick opened his mouth a couple of times, still a little out of it after watching the pole fall.

"Apparently not..." The guy muttered. Nick spoke up to that.

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to...The thing...I just kinda...crushed...the thing."

"Eloquently put..." He stated. Nick wasn't entirely sure how he felt about this guys quite apparent sarcasm. "Quite an...arm, you got there." This time, Nick saw it clearly...His eyes definitely turned gold for a moment or two. Before Nick could speak up, he did, "Interesting prosthetic. Very well adjusted to combat..."

"Oh...thanks..." Nick hesitated. He didn't want to tell how he got this arm. What would he say? He didn't have to say anything.

"I remember about two years ago...Maybe a little more. I read in the paper about a boy who was found in an explosion...Caused by...odd circumstance. He had lost his left arm. I never found out what happened to that kid." The boy looked him up and down, "Maybe you two met...Since you both lost your left arm...Or...perhaps..." He left off at that. Nick was astounded. He put on his best casual face, attempting to not give it away, but this...This guy didn't look fooled.

"I didn't know about a boy with similar injuries as me...What a coincidence." The man smiled at him.

"I'm Jay. Perhaps we'll be seeing more of eachother. Until we do, do me and everyone else a favor...Don't touch anything tall with your left hand." He began walking away. Nick considered his words for a moment, then turned to him. "Hey..." Jay stopped and turned slightly to look back.

"I'm Nick..." he said. Jay simply smiled and continued walking, with a very large dufflebag in tow. Nick turned back to the airship for just a moment, then turned and continued towards the main building.

* * *

><p>Anna's hesitation was clear as she stood on the very edge of the airship. She looked out, onto the beautiful Beacon Academy. She was still shocked that she was here. She owed Mrs. Snipwick for recommending her, but doubted she'd ever take some kind of favor. She raised her foot to step off, but suddenly was shoved from behind. She fell forward, onto Beacon's ground, and turned.<p>

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be just standing there...Are you hurt?" A girl with blonde hair, very blonde in sharp contrast to Anna's purple, was extending her hand to help her up. Anna took her hand and stood up, lifted by the girl before her. "I'm Sasha," she said immediately. Anna was surprised, but also quite excited and happy. Was she about to make her first friend? Before even taking her first step on Beacon ground?! That had to be a good sign.

"I'm Anna...Thank you for helping me up."

"I was also the one who knocked you down, remember?"

"Of course I do, but I'm totally over it! You helped me back up and all...So why hold it against you?" Anna felt a little foolish. Why was she speaking so quickly? She wanted to make a friend, not look crazy. Sasha glanced up at Anna's head, where the ears of a cat poked from her hair.

"You're a faunus?" Sasha asked a little surprised. Anna's heart nearly collapsed. Was this person going to be discriminatory towards her too? Was she going to push her away too? It wasn't everybody who did, but it still happened often enough that Anna thought it was commonplace. Even at Signal, she had to fight bullies and teasing and even violence in training sessions almost daily. Was that how this was going to turn out? Sasha immediately noticed Anna's face fall at her question, so she spoke up, "Oh! No! Not that their's anything wrong with that! I don't...I'm not one of those creatures...You know the ones, don't you? The ones who think that because Faunus are different, that they're...Somehow lesser beings. I don't think that way. In fact, I really hate the people who do." Anna's face showed relief, so Sasha smiled. They both jumped however, and turned to see a lamp post nearly fall on a couple of new students, but a man in a black coat stopped the thing from crushing him. The man who had caused it to fall looked apologetic, and the black-coated man dropped the pole. Anna and Sasha both picked up there bags from where they had dropped them after hitting eachother. Anna looked at Sasha for a moment.

"Thank you for helping me up...It's good to know there are nice people in the world..." Anna spoke with sincerity and hope. Sasha replied with a bit more conviction,

"Ya know what? I think I'm going to keep you as my first friend here at Beacon." Anna smiled, a little unsure of that statement, but she quickly disregarded this unease...She had made a friend just like that...This was going to be a good year after all. With that, they began walking toward Beacon Academy's main building together.

* * *

><p>Jay walked towards the Beacon front doors. His hands ached slightly from catching a lamp post...That guy...The guy who had squished the lamp post with his prosthetic...Jay new it had to be him...It had to have been the thief that stole the dust idol. He'd followed the story in the papers until the boy was released. He didn't know what happened after, so perhaps it wasn't.<p>

'Don't operate on incomplete information...' He thought. There was no telling who he was. But one thing was certain...That guy had certainly lied. He couldn't hide it. He'd lied to Jay's face about it not knowing the kid with the same injury. So at this point, the probability was high that it was him. Jay's Dark Voice spoke in his head: 'If I know it's him, let's go kill him already...It was his fault after all. He stole that idol...'

'Yeah, I think he may have. But look at him now. He's at Beacon Academy.' Jay decided to leave him alone, whether or not it was him. He walked through the main door, where all sorts of student were gathering...Over to the left, they had tables set up to help sign students in, and inform them of what was going on. Jay walked over to the desk, and asked one of the people working behind it for a student handbook, or school rule book. They looked quite surprised at this request, but handed over a handbook that held all of Beacon's rule and workings. "Perfect," Jay muttered. He turned around to the door and watched the man with the prosthetic walk in...He looked around, and for a moment, he looked directly at Jay, but averted his eyes immediately. Jay narrowed his own eyes. 'I can see what you try to hide from me, kid...The more you try to hide it, the easier it is to read.' Jay thought to himself, before going to stand with the group. Over to the right side of the room, there was a girl with white hair yelling at two other girls. One had blackish red hair, the other had long blonde hair. He frowned at that, not even noticing the faunus girl with purple hair until he walked right into her...

He stumbled back a step, but didn't fall, but she fell right over. The blonde haired girl who was walking next to her wasted no time with her anger. She grabbed Jay's coat collar and pulled him up,

"HEY! What in hell did you do that for, you asshole?!" Jay didn't flinch as she screamed at him, and instead responded calmly

"Calm down, chicky...I didn't do it on purpose. What purpose would that serve anyone?" He took her arm and pressed his thumb into the soft spot on the fore-side of her wrist, and she let go immediately.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded loudly. Jay was slightly annoyed that this one continued to shout. But he ignored her, and instead turned his attention to the faunus girl he knocked over. He reached his hand out, intending to help her up.

"You didn't break anything, right? You're still in one piece?" he asked, waving his hand slightly to indicate an offer of assistance. The girl didn't take it, and instead stood to her feet and began stuttering something Jay could only just understand.

"I...I'm sorry...Who was...No, not you, you didn't do anything! I'm sorry. I'm fine, really...Don't..." He raised his hand motioning her to stop.

"Cease your mumbling...If you're not hurt, and you can still stand, then that ends the matter." The blonde haired girls face looked as though she wouldn't have that though, and grabbed Jay's shoulder as he tried to walk away.

"Hey! Apologize! You clearly should've been watching where you were going! You knocked her over, and whether or not she's alright, you should still apologize! Now do it!" Jay's annoyance began taking hold, he tried to choke it down as he spoke it retort,

"If she would like an apology, I shall give her one. But for now, it appears that the only person with a problem is you. Perhaps I should've been watching where I was going, but it's a very busy hall, filled with lots of people who have no idea where they're going anyway. Who's to say it was me who is at fault? Let me tell you something, chicky, it **certainly **isn't you. You have no power over me. I'm not beholden to you in any way. Now if you're done shouting at strangers, I'd recommend you return to your previous course, and leave me to mine." Jay turned to the faunus girl, and bowed his head slightly, before walking away.

* * *

><p>Sasha watched as the guy with red hair walked away. She was infuriated that he could be so arrogant. She also wanted to rip his throat out for that thing he did to her wrist...She turned to Anna, who stood a little shaky after the encounter.<p>

"You alright? He didn't hurt you or anything, did he?"

"No, I'm fine," Anna assured her.

"Why didn't you demand that he apologize? He walked into you, and you could've gotten hurt. You don't have to deal with things like that..." It was clear Sasha was upset, but Anna wasn't,

"No..Honestly. I'm fine. He was right, it wasn't his fault. We weren't exactly paying attention either. And he offered help, and neither of us was hurt, so it's perfectly fine." Anna spoke so as to reassure Sasha, but her new-found friend didn't look too reassured. She still looked like she'd break that guys legs if she so much as asked."Why are you so worried about it?" Anna asked.

"It's a long story...Let's just say I hate people who pick on others."

"He wasn't picking on me...I know what being picked on is, and that wasn't it..."

"Ok. But...Did you hear his...Sarcasm? He clearly thought of himself as better than you...**That's **what pissed me off most about him." Sasha still looked steamed, but Anna didn't know what to say...It's not like she would hold it against him...After all, isn't that the guy who stopped the light post from crushing two new students? She didn't have any reason to hold it against him either way. Sasha noticed Anna's silence and tried to calm herself down. "Well, it doesn't matter...Let's just find a place to stand until whatever is happening here happens..." They walked over to the middle of the room, Just as Headmaster Ozpin was taking the podium. He gave a brief speech about the limits of knowledge, and how without skill and training, their time at Beacon would be wasted. After this short, almost depressing speech, the students were separated by their year, and taken to different wings. When they arrived in the large open room, and were each given a sleeping bag. They were all told that Initiation was tomorrow morning, and when it was over, they would be sorted into dorm rooms by their teams. There were some questions as to the forming of these teams, but the supervisor didn't answer them. Instead, all the students were told to lay out their sleeping bags and change into any sleeping attire they'd brought. There was going to be no gender separation in the room, so nothing explicit was allowed, but oddly, there was also going to be no supervision. Sasha and Anna doubted they'd need it however...None of these kids would do anything to bad, and risk immediate expulsion from the Academy.

* * *

><p>Nick threw his sleeping bag out in front of himself, and crouched as the thing fell to the ground. He looked around himself in the room. There was a girl, she appeared to be a faunus, setting up her sleeping bag next to a woman with blonde hair. Nick's eyes lingered on the blonde haired woman...Before continuing to look around the room. He stopped, however, when his eyes came to the person who'd settled their sleeping bag right behind Nick...It was him...The red head boy...<p>

'Jay, was it?' Nick thought to himself...He wasn't in the bag, rather sitting cross-legged on it, with a furrowed brow, looking at what seemed to be a small textbook. Nick hadn't yet gotten into his sleeping attire, but Jay had. He appeared to wear long loose green pants, with a loose looking purple shirt. He didn't bother removing his nose from his small text book, and looked to be reading furiously. The front of the book said "Beacon Rules and Protocol Guide." Nick frowned.

"You're actually reading the school handbook? I didn't think anybody did that..." Jay glanced up from the book, then spoke,

"...Are you referring to me?" Jay asked with clear confusion.

"Well yeah...I don't see anyone else reading any Beacon handbooks...So yeah, I'm talking to you." Nick stated, surprised that this sarcastic smartass had hadn't known who he was speaking to.

"Yes. I am reading the school handbook. I'm attempting to learn as much as I can about this school and its inner workings. Is there a problem with that?" Nick frowned again,

"No...Not really. I was just...No one really does that."

"I know. Let me give you some advice. Knowledge makes an advantage."

"Isn't it knowledge is power?"

"Power corrupts. In order for knowledge to not lead to that path, knowledge must be tempered by wisdom. I'd like to think I have at least a touch of wisdom. Therefore, I'll amend the statement...Knowledge isn't power. Instead, knowledge makes an advantage." Nick's head reeled for a moment...'What in hell was this guy saying?' he thought...Jay saw the slight confusion and smiled slyly, "Did I lose you somewhere?" Jay said in an incredibly facetious tone. Nick frowned

"I don't appreciate you insulting my intelligence." Jay's smug smile disappeared, and he reached up and rubbed his forehead...Nick thought he could hear him muttering to himself, but he couldn't make out what he said. Jay looked up.

"You're right...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to sound like such an ass. I don't know you very well, so I have no right to insult you like that. Allow me to retract my previous statement." Nick was taken aback by such a sincere apology. 'What's with this guy...One moment he's acting like he's a god compared to the rest of us, next he's a humble kid...' Nick wasn't sure what to think about this kid...He couldn't read anything in his face...Nick's gut told him that this...Jay was something not right. His gut...He simply couldn't tell if Jay was a good or bad human being...Neither registered...

Suddenly Jay spoke up "So what made it detonate?..." Nick's stomach turned...

"Excuse me?..." Jay didn't look up from the book as he spoke.

"The idol. Two years ago. The explosion that the you were caught in, that took your left arm...At the peer in Vale. What made the thing detonate?" Nick didn't speak...He wasn't sure what to say...

"How did...How did you know?"

"It wasn't difficult. You disappeared from the media quite well. I have to respect that ability to move in and out of the public eye...Though you probably can't do so nearly as well now, can you..."

"Fuck...You're something, you know that? I'm guessing it's that trick with your eyes? They flash gold behind those glasses every now and then. What do those eyes let you do?" Jay now looked up from his book, beginning to be absorbed in the conversation.

"I believe mine was the first question...Please...You shall answer my question, then I will answer yours in turn."

"...I destroyed it...The idol."

"So you **were **the thief...You broke into the Schnee warehouse and swiped it out from under some of their best security. But if you stole it, why destroy it?" Nick smiled,

"Ah ah ah...It was I answer your question, you answer mine. The eyes...That's how you do it? That's how you...Take things in?" Jay considered Nick's words, and smiled.

"Yes. Yes, my eyes are my power. It's my Semblance. I see the world in all its complexity. Dust signatures, aura, movement...You name it. I can see it, remember it, and understand it." Nick's eyes grew wide,

"Wow. Me, I use my arm here...You saw it earlier though, didn't you? With your, uh...freaky glow eyes...The Dust canisters in my arm interact with my aura and allow me to use unique-"

"Beam-like attacks...Focused through that special dust crystal on your palm. It's a focal point...That ruby on the hilt of your sword is the same material...You carry it as a spare, don't you." Nick looked a little surprised, but also was felt a tinge of victory,

"Yeah, but that's not my Semblance..." One of Jay's eyes raised in question, and Nick continued, "My Semblance is healing. The only reason I lived through the blast was that I can heal pretty quickly. It's also the reason I was able to get this arm." Nick explained.

"Interesting...That's how you dodged the media so quick, by getting out of the hospital. And the arm itself must be connected right up to your nervous system...Nerve cluster by nerve cluster...Allowing you to move it as well as you move your real arm." Nick raised his left palm,

"I don't consider this some fake arm...This is the result of a lifetime. This is a reminder of what I want to become." Nick explained.

"Your blade...It's been turned black. Charred that way? You keep it as a reminder of what you were...Interesting. One's a reminder of the past, the other's a symbol of the future. I respect that. It's good for you." Jay smiled, and then returned to his book.

"Well, you already seem to know a lot about me...Why don't you tell me something about you? You seem to be...Well, I'm just not sure what to make of you..." Jay smiled again as he looked back up.

"There's not much to tell, I'm an open book...I was a traveler...I traveled through the Forever Fall...Because of it, I decided to be a Hunter." Nick frowned...This guy was lying. He could tell that. He most certainly was NOT an open book. His gut was telling him this guy hid as much as he showed.

"It's Huntsman." Nick corrected him.

"Perhaps to you..." Jay said. Then he returned to his textbook. Nick watched him for a few second, still trying to read him...But something was off. Whatever he was hiding, he did it far too well...And that disturbed Nick a little bit. But he decided to let it go. He stood and went to change into his sleeping attire. When he returned, Jay had just about finished the book. He watched Jay put it down, and crawl into his sleeping bag. Nick did the same. He had to let this go. He'd need strength for tomorrow morning. Quickly he glanced back over his shoulder, and his eyes found the blonde haired girl, sleeping next to the faunus with purple hair. That was all he did until he fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Anna woke to Sasha gently shaking her by the shoulder. Anna's eyes opened, and she looked over at Sasha, who was down on her haunches next to her.<p>

"We should go get changed and prepped for the day. It'll make things easier for the both of us..." Anna sat up in her sleeping bag and looked around. A few people were still sleeping, while others still were just waking and standing up. Others were already dressed and armed, waiting by the door. Anna stood, and went to get her things. She and Sasha went over to the changing rooms, and each took a different stall while the prepared themselves. When they were ready, they went back out into the room where everyone slept. In the corner, the man with the prosthetic arm from yesterday was getting up, and the red-head behind him continued sleeping soundly, seemingly completely unaware of what was occurring around him. She and Anna then went down the hall to a long room. This room held rows and rows of lockers, holding everyone's weapons. Anna's locker and Sasha's locker were actually right next to eachothers, this due to the fact that they registered at the same time, and got locker numbers one right after the other. They went to their lockers and quickly typed in their combinations. Anna and Sasha hadn't spoken much all morning, but that wasn't really problematic. Anna imagined that even though Sasha wouldn't say it, she was probably nervous. Anna felt that way too...She wasn't at all sure what they were going to do. Initiation was today, and they had very little information about what would happen. Sasha noticed the redheaded boy walking in. Suddenly he looked alert, and was fully dressed. He walked in their direction, but wasn't looking at them. He intended to pass them, but Sasha recalled her anger from yesterday. As he walked by, she turned, and pushed her shoulder into him as he passed, almost knocking him over. He stood tall for a moment, and turned to look at Sasha and Anna. He kept his eyes on Anna's for a moment, and Anna could swear she began turning red, but luckily he looked away towards Sasha.

"Please don't do that again." He said curtly. Sasha gave him a defiant look.

"Or what? You'll knock me down like you did her?" he turned to Anna again, and this time, she immediately turned red. The guy looked at Anna, and his eyes turned gold for a moment, before he looked back at Sasha.

After a moment's passing, the boy smiled a smug, sarcastic looking grin, turned and bowed his head to Anna again, and walked off. Sasha's eyes widened in fury at this. She felt like she wanted to take her great sword and cut him clean in half.

"Did...Did his eyes turn gold?" Anna muttered to Sasha.

"The only thing I want to think about his eyes is tearing them from his skull..." Sasha said through gritted teeth. She took her large, broad, one edges sword (which she had named Loachsamhail,) from her locker and strapped it to her back. Anna strapped her Felemina Fattale poleaxe to her own back, and they walked from the hall. A few moments later, there was a call on the overhead speaker calling the first year students to Beacon Cliff for Initiation. Anna and Sasha walked down through the building to the path that would lead to Beacon Cliff. Finally, Anna got the courage through her nerves to speak.

"So...teams? I'm not sure how it works exactly...Maybe we'll end up on the same team?"

"That'd be great. You're certainly one of the better options..." Anna smiled.

"I'm really glad I made a friend like you...You're so nice to me, Sasha..." Sasha's face showed a small twang of pain...

"I once had...I once had a friend who was a faunus...We basically spent our lives together, being friends from a very young age...Her whole family was kind, and she was my best friend...Her name was Skye...And...And I lost her. She was innocent...Her family...was innocent." Anna looked concerned.

"What happened?"

"The White Fang held a protest in town...People...were attacking them. They didn't do anything. They were just passive. But when the protest ended...People held a grudge. So when my friend's family went out to a shop...The shop keeper served them, but...then he payed...he payed a local anti-faunus activist group to...Well. Let's just say they didn't make it home. I lost her...And I've hated people who discriminate ever since...That's why I got a little...Angry when that guy knocked you over..." Anna was speechless. She wasn't sure what to say or how, her throat felt so dry. Sasha wiped away a tear from her left eye, and smiled "That's why I'm here though. I'm here for Skye. I want to change the way people see the faunus." Anna smiled brightly,

"Wow...That's beautiful. That's why you became my friend? That's a great sentiment...Thank you. Thank you Sasha, for being my friend. I know what you're referring to...When I was at Signal...I had to deal with...attacks...I had to deal with the worst part about being a faunus...And even before Signal...My family...We...Well, we took what we had to to survive. Small trips out at night almost every week...It was...difficult, especially after loosing my mother when she was giving birth to me...But...I've gotten used to it. And now I'm here...I'm still a little astounded to be here, but I can't wait to see what the year's going to be like...Making such a great friend so early in the year has to be a good sign." They walked from the door onto the small grass and dirt path that would lead them to Beacon Cliff. As they walked, they saw all sorts of people walking with them...A girl with blackish hair wearing a red cape, accompanied by a blonde man and a woman whose hair was incredibly long, and also blonde. A girl with white hair, a girl with black, and even the redheaded boy in his black overcoat, and the boy with the prosthetic arm...'Here we go,' Anna thought...On to Initiation.


	2. Chapter 2 : Initiation

Initiation:

Each of the first year students stood on a small stone board, each with the Beacon symbol on them. Jay stood tall with his arms crossed over his chest. Nick simply stood, arms at his side, waiting. Sasha stood ready, preparing herself for what she suspected would happen. And Anna stood a little loose, trying to get a clear look over the edge, fearing how far down the bottom was...She couldn't see over the edge, and was made even more nervous. Headmaster Ozpin stood next to Professor Goodwitch, and they were speaking about the assignment of teams. Professor Goodwitch was saying that they were being assigned teams that day. Ozpin continued by saying that these teammates would be with you for the next four year. Then he said something they didn't expect.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with, after landing, will be your partner for the next four years." A girl down the row gasped out a loud

"WHAT?!" Ozpin continued to explain that in order to succeed here, they would have to remove all opposition. He stated that they would in fact be graded for the Initiation, but that they would be given no assistance from the instructors. Ozpin was **very** clear that not destroying the opposition would most certainly result in their demise. He finished by explaining that at the northern end of the forest, there was an abandoned temple they were to find. From there, they would retrieve one of the relics from there and return to the cliff.

"Are there any questions?" Ozpin asked. The blonde haired boy from earlier tried to speak up, but Ozpin ignored him. He was persistent however, and continued to question Ozpin about the landing strategy. Ozpin was clear however. It didn't matter how. You just had to land safely. The platforms began to launch the students off of the cliff, one by one. As Jay's platform came up, he uncrossed his arms and put his right foot forward, crouching on it slightly. The platform shot up, and Jay threw himself from it. Nick let himself simply be launched from the thing, preparing for wherever he landed. Sasha timed herself and pushed off the platform at the moment of it's launch, soaring higher than the other students. And finally, Anna, kept her knees loose, so as to not break anything as the platform launched her from the cliff.

* * *

><p>The whole first year of students was free falling. All moving down towards the tree line below. Nick didn't even worry in the slightest. As he fell, he simply put his left arm out in front of himself, bracing to slam through one of the tree branches. He went right through one, and his strong prosthetic caught the next with ease. The last branch had slowed his momentum enough to catch it without breaking it. From there, he simply dropped himself, branch to branch, until he reached the ground with a small thud. He stood straight, looked around for a moment, then began moving in the direction of north. Sasha removed her Loachsamhail claymore from her back, and aligning it with herself, she flipped forward in the air. As she did, the blade crashed through every branch on the way down, slowing her enough to roll to her feet when she landed on the ground. She stood for a moment and looked back at the fallen branches. Then looked up for a moment before continuing forward. Anna removed her Felemina Fattale, and used the hooked blade end to catch a branch. The branch snapped in a second, and she used the hook end again, catching another, and another, and another on her way down. She landed, but didn't hesitate to begin moving towards her destination. Jay removed Photos and Umbra and glanced down. He knew what he would do, and quickly found what he was looking for. 'The only water in the forest is the river,' he remembered from an old book he'd read.<p>

"Perfect..." he muttered, as he fired shots to direct himself towards the bottom of the water fall where the river was. He shot towards the river, both slowing himself down, and lessening surface tension on the water significantly, so he could fall into the water safely. After landing with a huge splash, he quickly swam to the surface. He swam to the edge, and climbed out of the water. He looked at his weapons. It didn't worry him. The water wouldn't damage the mechanisms, nor would it hinder them. The water flowed off of his coat immediately, but not his clothes. He sheathed his weapons. 'That's alright,' he thought. 'I'll be dry by the time I reach the temple.' And then he began trotting in the direction of north...

Nick walked along in the Emerald Forest. He was only half sure of what he'd find when he got to this temple. As a former thief, he could find things like this easy enough...But in this giant forest, the only direction he was given was "north"...Which means if he didn't walk right into it, he risked walking right past it, or even not walking by it at all. Nick liked this though. This felt like a great challenge. Then there was the other part of this...Finding a partner. What was he going to do about that. He wasn't much of a people person. His thoughts skimmed over the possibilities. There was that blonde girl. The one who was sleeping next to the purple haired faunus girl...She was...A possibility. But...What about all the others? He stopped for a moment. Looking around, he realized that the trees in this piece of the woods were...Particularly huge. His gut wasn't really happy with that. It told him something wasn't right...He thought about drawing his sword...His nerves twitched, and he decided it was best, so he drew the blade, Redemption from it's sheath, and stood glancing around. From the woods, he saw the thing. It came quickly from the trees. One of the heads was dormant, so that the other could lead it through the trees, and followed the first with its eyes closed. Then they stopped around Nick. Both heads now had their eyes open, and were looking at Nick.

"Motherfucking, son-of-a-bitch..." Nick muttered. He ran forward towards one of the heads, and as it moved to strike him, he jumped up, and buried the fingers of his left hand in it's skull. It hissed in pain, and began to throw itself around. The second head looked like it wasn't sure what to do. Nick straightened himself on it's head, and placed his sword at the base of his palm, ready to drive it through the thing's head. But the other head wouldn't have that. It lashed out at Nick, slamming into the shoulder armor he had on his right arm. He was almost thrown from the head he had a hold of, but he held his grip. His sword, however, had been thrown from his hand. It stuck, blade first, in a tree nearby. "SHIT-FUCK!" He shouted...He hung on to it's head, and the stocks of dust in his left hand rotated to the fire canister. He let loose two blasts at point blank range...The skull cracked. Nick smiled...Ok, I can do this, easy. However, before he loosed the next blast, he heard a shout,

"BELOW!" Nick looked around, and then looked at the tree where his blade had been. The blade was gone, however. Nick's eyes widened, and then he looked around more frantically before he saw it...

Jay, blackened blade in hand, was running around to the front of the thing's body. He stopped and turned, his eyes had turned gold, and the color wasn't fading. Jay raised his chin, and tapped it with the back of his left hand, and shouted again, "Below! There's no hard bone there, jab the blade up, and sharply towards the brain!" Nick could only nod as the snake he held continued to struggle. Jay watched the thing struggle, and watched it's movement pattern. The other head was moving towards Jay now, but he ignored it. Instead, he timed himself...And threw the blade. Nick put his right hand out across his chest, and caught the blade. He did as Jay instructed, and drove the blade up and through the brain. The thing immediately slumped to the ground. Nick removed the blade before they hit the ground, and landed on his feet, removing his hand. The other head looked back, and Jay took his chance.

"My turn, toss the blade here!" Nick threw the blade, without hesitation. Jay caught it and ran towards the head, just turning back to him. Jay crossed his arms across his chest, and jumped up towards the head. Jay then threw his arms out, bringing the blade through the thing's neck. The head fell behind Jay, who landed on his feet. The blood from going through the thing's head was still on his coat, and he brushed the blood off of the blade as Nick walked over. "Here, and thanks." Jay muttered. The blood ran down his coat and dripped off, like water from a duck's back. Jay caught Nick staring at it, and spoke up. "A gift from my mother, on the day I left. It's made of a special material that binds molecules and releases them from the cloth. Dirt, dust, oil, water, blood. All of them flow off of it without damaging it. It was a little big when I got it, but I grew into it, as you can see."

"What else does it do, time travel?"

"No...It has some qualities of stealth...I'd assume a thief would know about that, but you're no longer either a thief, or stealthy, are you?..." Nick was silent.

"...I could've taken that thing on my own, ya' know." Jay smirked at him again.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure that's why you were dangling from it's head, with your sword stuck in a tree..." Nick smiled at him,

"This is fun, this back-and-forth thing. Let's at least try to get along, though. You seem like a...Nice enough person. Like I said. Let's try to get along, eh?" Nick offered his hand. Jay considered it for a moment. Then took it.

"Ok then...You're willing to get along, so am I." Nick started to walk off.

"Uh...Nick? Where are you going?" Nick turned

"To the temple." Jay smiled,

"Ok...But you're making a big mistake..." Nick stopped,

"And what might that be, my genius king?" he said sarcastically.

"That's not north...It's south-west." Nick's smile disappeared...'It's going to be alot harder to get along with this guy than I thought...' Nick said in his head.

Anna moved towards her target at a light jog. At least...She thought it was her target...Was she going the right way? Which way was north again? Wait, how could she tell?! 'Oh god,' she thought, 'Where am I going?!...Calm down...It's morning. Sun is in the east...Which means this is north...' She tried to reassure herself, and calm her jittery nerves. She still felt the tingle in her upper arms from the very start, and it wasn't going away...Was that going to interfere with her combat ability? Suddenly there was gunfire in the distance...'OH GOD! Was that close?! Are there Grimm in the area? Should I arm myself? I don't see any...There can't be...Unless I'm missing them...No. No. Have some confidence...' She shook the thoughts from her head, and remembered that she was top of her class in Signal, during her year. She could handle this. Then, off to north east, she heard howling...'Beowulves? How many...' She still wasn't sure, and if she could help it, she'd rather avoid them. perhaps that was too much to ask for though...Then there was a small explosion...Anna stopped and held still a moment...Then she smelled smoke. She muttered to herself "Did someone set the forest on fire? Why?! What would posses them to...Fire...Fire would probably scare off the beowulves...But...Which direction would they run? She hoped to herself that maybe they would be running away from her...But unfortunately...She heard them moving through the trees in her direction. She pulled her poleaxe from her back, and the staff extended out to it's full length. She took a wide foot stance, axe blade out in front of her, right hand two feet in front of the left. She could see the smoke above the trees now, and the fire through the brush, and then they came upon her in a great pack. They all stood watching her for a moment. Her nerves tightened into her steel grip, and face became calm. The beowulves that had run from the fire started to spread out, getting ready to attack the prey they'd found.

Anna closed her eyes and listened closely. One of them came from the right, and quickly, her axe came up, and swiped clean through it's neck. Another tried to take the opportunity while she was distracted, but she quickly turned the staff of the poleaxe around her right arm, catching it in her right hand, and releasing the left, the blade swung through the body, again, cleaving it in two. Three more attacked in a fan-like pattern behind her. But Anna wouldn't have that, and released her Semblance. The three creatures saw her roll under them, and stopped. All of them turned, and Anna swiped the heads of all three straight from their shoulders. She then activated the mechanism to change the poleaxe, and the blade slid down to form the handle guard as the sword edge folded out of the staff. She gripped the large but light sword in both hands, and swung in a huge arc motion, cutting through two more as they came at her from the other direction. She turned and used the handle guard to block an attack from another, and using the axe's edge, cut through the hand, then swung the blade down, in through the skull, bringing it all the way down through it's body. But this time, she couldn't stop the attack from behind her. The attack threw her to the side. She immediately stood, and looked around. Her eyes widened. 'Haven't I made a dent in their numbers? Why are there still so many! What is going on?!' She thought...She wasn't sure what she'd do about the 17 or so beowulves still present...Suddenly one of them was hit by a shot in the head. It fell dead, and Anna watched as the same happened to 6 more.

Then, crashing through the trees, she appeared in a huff, appearing to have ran here. Sasha stood, out of breath, next to Anna. Anna looked at her, and they made eye contact.

"And now...We're permanent team mates." Sasha said matter-of-factually.

Anna smiled, "Well then, teammate, care to give me a hand?" Sasha smiled, having Loachsamhail already out and ready for combat. She spoke curtly as the remaining ten beowolves spread around them.

"You take the five on that side, I'll take the five on this side, then we'll go get ourselves a fuckin' relic!" Anna's smile turned confident

"Yeah." They both moved forward, into the group. It didn't take them two minutes together. Sasha swung as she moved, cutting right through one, then shooting another, and turning on her heel to cut the body of another in half. Then, with one mighty spin, she chopped the heads from the final two. Anna, moved forward, stabbing the blade through one, then bringing up through the head, she quickly brought it diagonally through another. She quickly had the blade fold into itself, and the axe head shifted forward back into it's poleaxe position, and the blade chopped the hand off of the one who tried attacking. She spun, the axe head moving through two more, and the staff came off of the back of her neck, as she took it in her right hand, and swung it upward through the last beowolf standing. Both Anna and Sasha looked around for a moment at the pile of creatures slowly evaporating into nothing. Then they looked at eachother, and Sasha smiled

"Well that was fun...And easy." Anna nodded in agreement, and looked around, determining north.

"Let's go, I'm pretty sure it's this way." she said.

"Ok then. Let's get this damn thing over with." And together they walked towards the temple at the end of the forest.

* * *

><p>Jay and Nick walked quickly, not wanting to waste time. Jay looked over at Nick. He could tell Nick was slightly annoyed with Jay, and Jay didn't like that. Considering they'd be partners for four more years, Jay had hoped to be friends. He didn't want to be arguing with this guy for...'Ugh,' Jay thought, 'I have to try and make this easier.' The Dark Voice in his head spoke up, 'Why? Didn't this guy literally make the mistake of blowing his arm off? Why should we be friends? I'd love to show this guy up for four years...' 'Shut up. I have no intention of being that kind of person. He's already expressed a desire to get along, and so will I.' 'How fuckin boring you are...' He talked to himself in his head. Nick had noticed Jay glancing over at him every few seconds, and decided that this was going to murder him if it kept up.<p>

"So, penny for your thoughts...What's going on in that...Head of yours?" Nick asked.

"Hm? Oh...I'm just...considering our situation."

"Is that so? And what's your conclusion?..." Jay thought for a moment longer.

"I think that perhaps your first impression of me was not very good. And I think I would like to revise this vision you have of me. I'm not actually an asshole...At least not all the time. I may be a bit arrogant, but I'm also smart enough to know that it's going to be hell at this academy if we hate each other. I'd rather not have that...It wasn't easy getting into this academy, and my...Uh...My guardian would kill me if I made this into...Well, you know." Jay said, without slowing their pace. Nick spoke up, after considering Jay's words.

"I...Agree. I'd rather us not be enemies. But you have to know...You are so fuckin' condescending. I get that you're intelligent. I can...see that in you. But something else I have a problem with is that that's all I can see. You are...Some freaky kind of covered. You said you're an open book, but I got to tell you...That's one of the biggest fuckin lies I've ever heard in my whole life." Jay stopped smiling, and they walked in silence a minute before Jay spoke up again.

"Ok...If we're teammates, then I suppose it's best to not lie. I do keep alot hidden. But that'll come to light in time...I'm not so immediately open about my inner thoughts."

"Ok, but you'll have to say something about it sooner or later." Nick said.

"And you, Nick? What's in your head? What do you think about our situation?" Jay asked, clearly just trying to make things less odd.

"Me? I'm a thief...A thief walking through a forest...It's little more than another target right now...And while that'd normally make me feel a little more comfortable...It's a forest full of Grimm. Not machines, not people, not traps. Grimm. Much different than what I'm used to. And to top it off, I have a partner. About whom I know...Nothing." Nick finished quickly.

"...I'm sorry. If it makes you feel better, this'll probably be over soon." Jay said, looking over at Nick and trying to sound reassuring.

"And how do you know that?" Nick asked. Jay nodded his head towards a break in the trees.

"Because we're here."

Jay and Nick walked through the trees. They stopped, and stood a moment. Looking at the the temple, there were twenty pedestals, set up in a circle. They walked over to examine the things. On the right side, the pedestals held black chess pieces. On the right, there were white. Nick and Jay looked around. None of the pieces had gone missing.

"Cool...We get first dibs." Nick said. "What do you think we should take?" Nick looked at Jay. They were chess pieces, so it didn't matter which they took. Jay looked around. There was a King piece, a Queen piece, and for each side, there were two of every piece, including two pawns. "Jay...Which of these are we taking? You play chess, don't you?" Jay glanced over his shoulder at Nick,

"And how would you know that?" Jay asked.

"You just seem like that kind of guy...The kind who plays chess in his spare time." Jay thought to himself...

"Well perhaps I do, but is it right for you to assume such on that basis that I just seem like that kind of guy?" Nick responded in kind,

"My gut tells me something, I go with it. That's just me. My gut said you were a guy who plays chess, and imagine that: it was right." Jay frowned.

"Fine. Well...When I play chess, I prefer to play as black. White moves first, and I'm much better at reacting than making the first move." Nick didn't look interested,

"Ok...So I'll ask for the third time now...Which motherfuckin piece are we taking?!"

"We'll take my favorite piece...The black Queen." Jay walked over to it's pedestal, next to the King, and picked it up. "There. Was that so hard?" Nick rolled his eyes,

"Then let's get the fuck outta here." Jay walked over next to Nick,

"By Castiel, you do love cursing, don't you?" Jay pointed out...Though he probably sounded like an asshole with that comment. He didn't sound that way in his head...Nick laughed loudly,

"You got a fuckin problem with that, fuckface?" Nick said casually. Jay didn't make a comment. Instead, they just continued walking.

Eventually, they came to a clearing at the side of a smaller cliff. The cliff-face was littered with large holes. Each hole appeared to be connected with another hole through a curved tunnel, and there was clearly a much larger hole at the top. Jay stopped...His eyes flashed gold, then widened in worry. Nick noticed Jay stopped, and turned.

"What? This ain't our cliff man. You should know that..." Jay took a step back. Nick frowned at this. He looked up at the cliff side."What? The holes? What about them?" Nick asked. Jay looked over at him, and motioned him to quiet down. Jay spoke,

"I'm not surprised you don't know about these...Few people do. Very few. They normally live really deep in the Forever Fall. And no one sees much of them...This is a Griffon nest."

"Griffon?" Nick asked silently.

"Yes. They have sharp bony beaks, and..." Jay stopped, looking up at the cliff as one of the Griffon Grimm came to the opening at the cliff. It was easily much bigger than Nick or Jay...Nick's gut turned as he thought something.

"Uh...How big do these things get?" he whispered over at Jay. They watched the one that had come to the opening, as it stood and shook its body, and glanced around...

"You see the humongous hole there at the top?" The Griffon looked down at Nick and Jay.

"You've got to be fuckin' kidding me..." Nick said quietly as the beast raise it's head, opened it's beak...And screeched as loud as he could.

* * *

><p>Sasha and Anna didn't feel rushed to find the temple. In fact, after their encounter with the beowolves, they felt like they'd move slowly. Instead they continued to talk at random about anything they felt like talking about. In truth, this was quite an exciting experience for Anna. She'd never really had a friend who was like Sasha before. The conversation shifted back and forth, but they knew they wouldn't have long, as they'd probably come upon the temple soon. Anna was asking Sasha about her Semblance,<p>

"Well, I have strength…My aura can amplify my strength by a lot. It's the way I heave around Loachsamhail. It's nearly the size of my body, so it's lucky I have a Semblance like this." Anna considered this a moment.

"Well perhaps not. Maybe the reason you have a blade like that is because of your Semblance."

"Actually that sounds plausible…You're pretty smart, you know. But that's to be expected from someone who graduated top of her class at Signal. By the way, you never told me your Semblance…" Anna glanced over at Sasha.

"Me? I can mess with people's senses. Make them feel things that aren't really there. See a shadow, hear a noise, smell sulfur, even feel like something's touched or bitten them. It was really helpful for dealing with people at Signal." Anna continued to speak. She'd never been one for words though, and she wasn't sure why she was now. Something about having a friend like Sasha just made her content though.

They broke through the trees, and they both looked down at the temple.

"Well look at that….An abandoned temple…." Anna and Sasha walked down the hill, and examined the artifacts that had been chosen. Sasha frowned, "Dammit…I don't play chess. Do you?" Anna could recall learning about the game at Signal, though she'd never been very good, and only played it on a few occasions. Anna looked around.

"Only one piece is missing….One of the black set." Anna looked at the pedestal where one of the pieces was absent, and looked to its right. That pedestal held what Anna recognized as the King piece. She picked it up from the pedestal. Sasha glanced over,

"So that's the one we're taking? Once you pick it up, there's no putting it back down, I assume." Anna's eyes widened

"But….Oh….I didn't know! Maybe we can still-"

"Calm down, Anna…." Sasha interjected. "It's not the end of the world. Look. That one's the one you grabbed, so let's just go with it. I doubt it will damage our grade any…Ok?" Sasha reassured Anna, and with the piece in hand, they walked from the temple. As they walked, they could hear gun-shots. Encounters with more Grimm, they both thought. They only hoped they didn't encounter any themselves….It would be better if this went smoothly. As they walked, they tried to avoid sounds of battle. At one point, there was a huge sounds not to far away from them, and when they looked over, they saw a red-headed woman running from a Deathstalker. Sasha could swear she'd seen that girl on a cereal box before...

"Well...looks like she's gotten herself in one Cas-awful situation...I do not envy her."

"Hm...Hey Sasha, she just ran all that way with that huge thing chasing her, right?" Sasha looked over at Anna, "Riiiiiight..."

"Well maybe we should walk on the path they were running on. After they ran through, there wouldn't be many people or Grimm on or near that path..."

Sasha smiled,"Now that...Is genius." They moved over, and followed the path of fallen trees and destroyed rocks, and it turns out, Anna's theory was correct. They didn't encounter anything...Until they cleared to tree line.

They walked to up the destroyed entrance of the cave where the the Deathstalker would have been, until it chased that girl off into the forest. Now, however...Something else stood in front of it. Neither Sasha nor Anna recognized this type of Grimm, but as soon as they came upon it, it noticed them. They stood frozen, unsure of what to do. The Grimm's legs stood at about Sasha's height, and the body itself was massive. It looked like a lion of some sort, but had huge spiked boned shoulders, and bones covering its back. What really caught there attention though...Was its tail. It had the tail of a Deathstalker, with a stinger at the end of a long tail that curved upwards. The thing blinked red eyes at them, and turned from the cave to face them. Both Sasha and Anna took a step back

"Anna, I think your plan was brilliant and all...But this...This is a major fuckin' trap..." Anna didn't turn and spoke to Sasha

"Had I known what waited for us, I wouldn't have suggested it...I am so sorry..." The thing had turned its entire body to face them now, and was crouching down, looking like it planned to pounce at them.

"Thanks for the sentiment, but I believe the proper course of action now...Is to run like hell!" They both turned and dashed off into the forest. The Grimm roared and jumped, nearly catching them, but they were just fast enough to be a step out of reach. The continued running, and couldn't stop. They leaped over roots, and plowed through bushes, not letting anything slow them down, or else let that creature catch them in it's claws. After a minute of running, they came to another cliff, but they couldn't slow down, and immediately jumped from the top. Luckily, in between them and the ground, were a dozen or so winged creatures, also looking like lions, but with sharp beaks instead of a mouth. Each landed on one, then dropped safely to the ground. They looked back, and stood face to face with the redhead in his long black coat, and the man with the prosthetic arm. They both had out their weapons, and appeared to be fending off the beasts. Anna and Sasha looked back up at the cliff, where their pursuer had stopped, and was now walking back and forth, considering what to do next. The Griffons, having noticed the great thing. started to fly away from the cliff. No one wasted any time, and they all came together and stood in a circle.

Jay was the first to speak up

"Uh, thanks for getting the Griffons off our tail, but what in Castiel's name were you thinking bringing a Manticore with you?!" Sasha spoke up, even now not content to deal with Jay's tone.

"Hey, look asshole, we didn't mean to bring that thing, and look, now we're both safe, so you owe us thanks." Nick, who had been staring at Sasha for a few seconds, spoke up

"Maybe they're right Jay, I mean look around." Jay didn't look content, and turned to Nick,

"They got rid of the small ones! Now there's only the one left! And he's the worst of-" Anna interrupted Jay, "You're talking about that thing, right?" They all turned to see the great Griffon come to the edge of it's hole in the cliff face. The thing was just a little larger than the Manticore, and it was already looking down at the four of them.

"...Yes...That one." Jay said in a slightly discouraged voice. Suddenly, the Manticore jumped from the cliff, and landed on the tree line behind them. The trees it had landed on were flattened instantly, as the thing stood and turned to face them. The clearing was large, and the had room to stand together though. Jay's eyes had already turned gold, and he examined the situation.

"Ok...Ladies and Gentleman, pick a monster..." Nick turned towards the Manticore

"I want that one." He said. "Ok then. Listen up, I'm only saying this once,"

"Why the hell should we-" Sasha immediately began to interrupt, but Anna silenced her.

"He seems to have a plan, and right now, that's one more plan than we have..." Anna said to Sasha. Sasha's face registered that she knew Anna was right, but she still hated the idea of taking orders from this guy.

Jay continued "Me and Nick will handle this thing. Long range combat isn't optimal for the Manticore, and we wouldn't be as effective with it against the Griffon. So we're best served fighting the Manticore. You two ladies handle the Griffon...That claymore-rifle of yours looks like it's high powered, and your Semblance should come in handy..." Sasha almost spoke up again, wondering how he knew her Semblance, but then she remembered his eyes turning gold, and connected the two...

"You," Jay turned to Anna, "Your weapon has no long range capacity, so I'm guessing you're quite mobile. You should be able to get up the cliff face, and close enough to do something. Those holes in the cliff will help you. We all clear?" Everyone nodded, and faced their beast. The manticore crouched, and it's tail shifted this way and that, ready to pounce. The Griffon adjusted itself in the opening, and spread it's humongous wings, ready to fly. Anna's confidence began to return as she faced the situation, and she pulled Felemina Fattale from her back. Sasha pulled Loachsamhail over her shoulder and held it by the handle and the barrel, down the back of the blade. Jay clipped on the bayonet endings to Photos and Umbra, and Nick turned his Redemption blade over in his hand, and put his left hand out in front of him, palm open. Nick spoke up to Jay,

"If this doesn't work...I'm punching you in the face when I meet you in hell..."

Jay smiled, "You know for an ex-thief, you're a terrible liar...Or perhaps it's just me. I'm fairly certain we'll be shaking hands on the ride down, no violence required." Sasha looked at Anna,

"Let's do this...We can totally take this thing's head off." Anna smiled, trying to hold her confidence "And if not, it was good to know you, Sasha." They all stared their monsters in the face, and readied themselves to fight for their lives.

* * *

><p>Nick wasted no time running across the clear field towards his target. Jay's golden eyes watched him move, and he followed at a slower pace, hanging back to watch Nick's actions and there effectiveness. The Manticore roared and charged forward towards Nick. Nick paused mid-run, and leaped up. With both of them moving towards each other, Nick easily landed onto it's head. The Manticore immediately stopped moving, and Nick took his opportunity to move onto it's neck, and grab one of it's large shoulder bones. Nick attempted to jam his sword into the Manticore's neck, but it began shaking it's body in an attempt to remove Nick from himself. Nick held the shoulder bone tight, but was nearly thrown when all of a sudden the thing's head jerked back. Nick looked over it's shoulder to see Jay shooting at the Manticore, and at the same time, walking slowly towards it. The Manticore removed it's focus from Nick, who was still on it's back, and jumped swiftly at Jay. Jay jumped up as it swiped it's claws towards him, and landed on the paw. He jumped again, attempting to land on it's back, but the stinger on it's tail moved towards him. Jay blocked it by crossing the staves of his Tonfas over his body, but the blow threw him back. The Manticore stood and almost tried to attack Jay again, but Nick had blasted the tail with his arm's beam.<p>

"Fuckery...That thing won't come off..." The Manticore tried to reach it's fangs back and attack Nick, but it couldn't reach. The tail came down, and Nick jumped off of it's back to avoid the stinger. 'Ha, it'll only sting itself,' Nick thought. But the bones on it's back served to protect itself from it's own stings. Nick landed and shouted more curses, "You fucking FUCKFACE!" Jay looked over at him with annoyance, and the Dark Voice spoke up in his head 'The fuck's with that prick? Why is he cursing like a motherfucker...' 'Says the sailor in my head...' Jay responded to his own thoughts. But the Manticore had recovered, and for a brief moment was looking back and forth between them, as if picking a target. 'Well look at that...What do we think of that, eh Jay? Do you know what to do now?' The Dark Voice said casually to Jay. Jay smiled...

"Nick, run that way!" He shouted, pointing the opposite direction he was facing. Nick looked back, but didn't argue, and simply began running, and at the same time, Jay began running back and around the Manticore. The beast turned to look at each of them in turn, as though becoming a little confused. Then it turned towards Nick and began running in his direction. "Perfect," Jay muttered.

"Jay, you fucker, you better have a fucking plan!" Nick shouted back.

Jay began running towards the Manticore's back. Nick looked back, and saw the beast running after him, and Jay running after it. Assuming Jay needed to catch up, Nick stopped and turned to face the Manticore. He raised his palm level with it's face and switched the cartridge to Ice Dust. He let loose a blast that hit the Manticore in the face, and it roared as it stopped and staggered a moment, blinded by the ice covering his face.

Jay saw his opportunity, and yelled "Thanks, Nick. That was perfect!" Jay jumped up, onto the things back, crossed his arms over his chest, then gave one giant leap. Throwing his arms out, the blades swam through the joint where it's tail connected to the body. Jay landed on one of the giant shoulder bones. The stinger fell, and rolled off of the bones on it's back onto the ground. The Manticore roared in pain and Jay jumped forward over its head and landed next to Nick, who had began running forward, hoping to retrieve the stinger. His gut said that it would come in handy. Jay turned and looked up at the face, where the ice was coming off. He looked down at Nick, moving past it's two forward legs, and frowned. He raised his tonfas and as the ice came off, he shot it in the eyes. It screamed again and stumbled, but stayed on it's feet. Nick grabbed the stinger, rolling under one of it's paws that almost came down on the both it and him. He came to his feet, and turned to look over at Jay, who was still shooting at its face. The Manticore continued to stumble and walk backwards, "Hey Nick, that joint at it's neck you stabbed at earlier, that's a weak point. Why don't you try again, I'll cover you..." Jay said.

"Sounds good to me." Nick jumped up, onto the thing's shoulder, and grabbed it's shoulder bone. Steadying himself on it's side, he jammed the stinger into it's neck. The Manticore roared a gurgled, almost muffled roar. Jay motioned for Nick to come down, and Nick used the Manticore's head as a kick-board to jump up, and landed next to Jay.

"Ok, go for the chin, all your strength, hold nothing back." Nick looked at Jay and grinned a huge grin

"Fuck yeah! If you fuckin' say so." he said with pure joy.

"Please tone down your cursing for Cas sakes..." Jay ran forward, and jumped up onto the Manticore's head. The beast had begun to get tired, and wasn't struggling nearly as forcefully. He switched the orientation of his Tonfas, so the staff was out, and the blade was against his arm. His aura protected himself from the blade edge as he raised his arms over his head. Nick ran forward until he was just under the chin, and pushed off of his feet with all his might. He raised his left arm and uppercut the beast. It came off of it's feet, and Nick loosed a blast of Fire Dust. As he did, and the Manticore's head bent back, and Jay brought the tonfas into the stinger, and it went through the neck. Nick could see the point of it on the other side as he continued blasting, beam after beam, flipping the thing over. As it came down, Jay jumped of it's head, and rolled forward before it came down on him. The Great Manticore fell onto it's back, dead. Jay turned to Nick, and smiled. Nick shouted in victory

"WOOOOOOO-HOOO! TAKE THAT, YOU MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! WE. OWN. YOU!" Jay shook his head, deactivating his Semblance. They came to stand next to their kill, and looked over at Anna and Sasha.

* * *

><p>At the same time, the Griffon jumped from it's hole, and took flight. Sasha began to shoot at the Griffon. Anna looked at Sasha and back up at the cliff face. What Jay said had been right, she was easily mobile enough to get up the cliff. Sasha's attacks weren't having much of an effect, only giving minor splashes of blood, like paper-cuts. Anna ran towards the cliff face with her poleaxe in hand. Sasha followed slowly, still shooting at the thing, which had begun to turn, and fly towards them. Anna began running up the cliff side, being careful to use light steps and pushing her weight upwards and continuously speeding up, instead of pushing away from the cliff face. Within a few seconds, she made it easily to one of the holes in the cliff. She grabbed the edge and pulled herself into the hole. Turning and looking at the Griffon for a moment, she began to navigate the network of holes, making an effort to move upward. She came to one of the openings and looked out. The Griffon had landed and was nipping at Sasha. She jumped this way and that, shooting at it's head when she had the chance. But this only made it angry, and when one particularly well aimed shot hit it's left eye, it screeched and reared back, flapping it's wings furiously. The gales from this blew Anna back into the cave she was looking out from. She landed hard on the rocks inside the cave. She stood and went back to the cave entrance, and climbed up to the topmost cave above her, the one where the Great Griffon had come from. She looked down at Sasha, who right now was holding back the Griffon who had taken a hold of her sword in it's beak, and was trying to push Sasha back, but wasn't getting anywhere in the face of Sasha's incredible strength. Sasha grunted under the pressure<p>

"You...Can't...Beat...ME, you stupid creature!" The Griffon twisted the sword in it's beak until it pulled the blade from Sasha's hand and threw it towards the cliff. The blade stuck, point first, into the side of the cliff, just under the hole Anna was standing in. Anna saw her opportunity, and jumped out onto the back of the blade. The blade began to come out of the cliff, and Anna balanced over the the handle. She hopped twice on the handle, and the blade came free as she jumped forward, as far as she could. On the ground, Sasha had grabbed the Griffon's beak, and was holding it still after seeing Anna jump and her blade fall from the cliff. Anna landed hard on the Griffon's back, and the beast ripped itself from Sasha's grip. The beast backed up a couple of steps, began to flap it's wings. Anna took her Felemina Fattale from her back, where she'd put it while climbing, and used the small hooked end opposite the large axe blade to hook the side of it's neck. The small sharp hook ripped into the muscles in it's neck and Anna held on tight.

The Griffon raised itself from the ground, and Anna struggled to hold on against the raging winds. Sasha ran over and picked up her sword from where it lay, and ejected the clip. She pulled another from the pouch on the back of her belt, that was full of them. Then, holding the handle in her left hand, and the barrel in her right, pointing the end at the ground, she fired shots as she began to dash up the cliff, taking a page from Anna's book. The Griffon watched her, and began to wave it's wings towards her. The gales produced knocked down trees even behind the creature, but Sasha's strength helped her withstand it, and even better, these gales helped keep her closer to the wall, so she deftly ran around the holes, quickly making it to the top hole. She flipped herself over the edge and took cover from the wind under the eaves of the cave entrance. The Griffon stopped after realizing she wasn't in range, and Anna seized that very moment. She stood on the things back, and pulled her axe from the Griffon's neck. She raised it up, and was ready to bring it down when the Griffon started flying downwards, towards the cave where Sasha was. Anna once again hooked the small end into the birds back to hold on. Sasha looked out and saw the beast coming towards the cave. She thought fast, rearing her blade back over her shoulder in one hand, and pulling the trigger for added strength, she threw the blade towards it. The blade spun fast through the air, and swiped off the Griffon's right wing. Anna saw her throw the blade, and removed the spike. Putting that same spike out into the blades path, she caught Loachsamhail by the barrel as it spun past, but the force of the throw yanked Anna off of the creatures back. The Griffon was unable to keep flying, and immediately slammed into the cliff, just below the hole. As it fell, Sasha jumped from the cave, and slid down the cliff face after the thing, which was sliding on it's right side. Anna, still free falling with Loachsamhail hooked to her axe, quickly maneuvered herself in the air, and threw the claymore back towards Sasha. Anna then landed, rolled to her feet, and began running towards the Griffon, who had also just landed, and staggered to the left, away from the cliff. Both Sasha and Anna saw the same chance. Sasha pushed off of the cliff face and caught Loachsamhail in her hands, and came down, blade first, onto the beast's neck. The blade almost went through, but not completely. Anna switched Felemina Fattale to it's long-sword form, and as she came close enough, gave one mighty leap into the air. She came down as well, blade first into the same cut that Sasha had started, but with her body facing Sasha instead. Anna's blade slammed into Loachsamhail, and Sasha gave as good a push as she could manage, still holding herself above the blade. With all their force combined, Loachsamhail and Felemina Fattale sank through the Great Griffon's neck. Anna and Sasha landed as the Griffon's head did. Both stood up straight and faced each other. Grinning ear to ear, Sasha pushed the point of her blade into the ground, and ran over to hug Anna. Anna was incredibly happy at this, and after, they stood a moment, admiring the head of the Griffon as it lay on the ground. Then they looked over, and saw the Manticore fall onto it's back, also dead. Sasha retrieved her weapon, and they all walked over to stand facing eachother.

"Now **that**...Was epic..." Sasha said as they stood together.

"Holy fuck, you guys took it's head off!" Nick stammered, and stared at the thing...

"Please tone down your cursing..." Jay said casually, seeming to have expected the fight to go as well...

"Oh let him curse...Look at this. We took down two incredible beasts..." Sasha said to Jay. Jay looked at Anna,

"It appears you were as skilled as I suspected you were..." he stated matter-of-factly, pushing his glasses up on his nose. Anna felt her face turn red, and looked over at Sasha.

"You know, even complimenting someone, you still sound like a pompous jackass...Go figure." Sasha said. Jay scoffed,

"That's because you simply can't understand my meaning...I'm not surprised. You don't seem the intelligent type...Tell me, were you of any **actual **help? Or did Anna do it all herself." Nick intervened immediately,

"Guys, guys...Come on...You two are at eachothers throats here...Listen, let's get out of here, ok? And let's all along while doing it. Jay, it's true, your plan was helpful. And Sasha, you **were **of help during you battle, I can tell that...There. Now let's go." Jay was content to drop it, and Sasha conceded that Nick had a point...They should be...Not killing each other. So they decided not to attack each other, and together, they moved back towards Beacon Cliff...And on the whole walk there, oddly enough, they didn't encounter a single Grimm.

* * *

><p>After reaching the cliff itself, they all took the round-a-bout route up a hill to the top of the cliff. They were all happy with their kills, and Nick joked a couple of times that he was going to go back later for that Manticore head...They all laughed and chatted casually, satisfied with the events of the day. Upon reaching the top, they found that they weren't the first to return. It appeared that a total of four teams, eight people, had returned. There was a girl with huge blonde hair, and the girl with red hair standing next to a blonde guy. The white haired girl seemed to be avoiding the girl with the red cape, but didn't seem all that angry. Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch greeted them at the top, and Ms. Goodwitch asked that they turn in the pieces they retrieved to her. Jay handed her the Black Queen, and Anna handed over the Black King. Jay glanced over and noticed which piece it was, and a suspicion crossed his mind...He disregarded this however, and stood listening to the rest of their group talk, as they waited for the other students to return. One hour passed, then two. Forty five more minutes into the third hour, all the students had arrived back at the cliff. Ozpin instructed them to stay with the groups they had gotten in as they returned to Beacon. When they got to the hall where they had first arrived in Beacon, the first year students found the hall was completely full of the other students. They were then taken to a room at the back, where there was a large screen. Ms. Goodwitch told them to wait here and watch the screen. She said that they would be sorted into their teams at this time, and that they should watch the screen. Teams of four would appear on the screen, and when they saw themselves, they were to go out the door they had entered and stand together on the stage, where Ozpin would announce the Team name and the Team Leader. Nick and Jay both stood silent, as did Sasha and Anna...All of them waited, filled with anticipation for their faces to appear. Two teams were formed before them. One included a girl with rabbit ears, and a tall boy off the the left of the room out-right laughed at her. Sasha appeared annoyed, but didn't care, because her face and name had appeared on screen. Along with Anna's, Jay's, and Nick's. They all walked out of the room, and walked towards the stage as Ozpin spoke,<p>

"Jay Overstrand, Nick Cordero, Anna Aristole, and Sasha Scathach...The four of you retrieved, respectively, the Black Queen and the Black King. From this day forward, you shall work together as Team JNAS." He pronounced the name as Jonas. Jay smiled slightly at this...He'd remembered back to his studies, reading about a man named Hans Jonas. A prominent Philosopher in history, who studied religion, bio-ethics, and political sciences...He was a great professor...Ozpin continued, "Lead by...Jay Overstrand...AND Nick Cordero." Jay's eyes raised in surprise, and he glanced over at Nick, who looked at him as well...Jay spoke up to the Headmaster,

"Um, sir? Co-leaders?"

"Indeed. After examining your skills, I have come to the conclusion that both of you would serve as perfect balance for the other, and will be fantastic Team Leaders. Congratulations." Jay closed his eyes and pushed his glasses up on his nose...Nick turned to Jay, and stuck his hand out

"Well...Since there's no escaping it, I look forward to working with you as team leader..." Jay took his hand,

"And I, you." Jay said, still comprehending the situation.

"Fuckface," Nick muttered almost playfully.

"Rebarbative fool," Jay retorted. They both smiled as they walked off of the stage together. Anna and Sasha didn't mind that they weren't team leaders. Anna thought back to Jay's planning and Nick's readiness. They would work well together, she thought. Sasha was annoyed that she'd have to listen to Jay, but was ok with it as well, seeing as Nick would be able to weigh in as well. When the ceremony was over, they all went to the dorm they were assigned. The room was bare, save for the beds. Their stuff had been brought in and laid against the back wall. They didn't bother unpacking tonight...Instead they all got ready, and quietly went to bed, content to get everything together tomorrow morning.


	3. Chapter 3: First Class

After the long day of fighting, the whole team only had so much energy. After getting our schedules and eating dinner, we were dead tired. Jay went straight to sleep, along with Anna and Sasha. Nick was still reeling from the announcement of co-leaders, which is something that had never happened before. It was quite an unusual occurrence, and Nick thought it was odd that Jay could just fall asleep, especially considering his primary reaction to the announcement. Nick called first shower, and walked from the room after grabbing sleepwear. No one planned to argue, and when he had finished and changed, he returned to the room. Nick saw that his team had all passed out. He let out a soft chuckle, and pulled blankets over each. Nick then sat on his bed and opened the small hatch near the elbow on his prosthetic arm. A small interface scroll had been put on the back of the panel, to use when opened. After toying with the programs for a minute, he activated a mechanism that would use some of the electric dust up his arm, jolting Nick awake. He programmed it to go off two hours before the first class tomorrow morning. Satisfied with his alarm like set up, Nick went to sleep. Nick was the first to wake the next morning. The jolt of electricity brought him out of his sleep, and he looked down at the time. Six a.m. Three hours before first period. Nick frowned, and looked down at his arm. This wasn't the first time the program had gotten the time wrong.

He whispered to himself, so as to not wake the others, "For fucks sake...I hate it when that happens." Nick wouldn't be able tp fall asleep again though. So instead, he stood slowly, attempting to recall some of his old stealth. The floor creaked a bit as he got his things and sneaked from the room for a shower. It was odd, taking two showers within a twelve hour period, but Nick wanted to be sure he was good and ready for his first class. He hadn't worked for two years to get here only to be unprepared. It didn't take him long to get ready. As an ex-thief, one thing he was good at, even now, was preparing himself quickly. When he was finished, he decided go down to the cafeteria and get some food for everybody. He returned with eggs and Ursa steaks, along with a large bottle of orange juice. He got some of the paper plates from his bag, and arranged everything in a decent manner, and poured the orange juice into the four cups. Anna was the first to get up. She sat up in bed, and the cat ears on her head twitched in place as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. She stood, still in her sleepwear, a plain t-shirt and shorts, and walked over to the plates Nick had set up.

"Odd...I didn't expect you to be the first up...I thought Jay with his...Freaky need for order or Sasha with her...Passion...And energy. I thought she'd be...Early to bed, early to rise." Anna glanced at Nick,

"You went down and got this for us? Thanks...And just so you know, I've never had an easy time sleeping..." She took one of the plates and the cup, and went and sat back down on her bed. The silence dragged on for a few moments, and Anna didn't eat.

"So...What do you think about the team? What with the events yesterday...How do you think we'll do?" he asked, hoping to end the silence.

"Oh...Uh...I'm not sure. I think we'll be a good team...I mean, what Ozpin said seems right, you do seem to balance out with Jay...But...Jay and Sasha seem ready to kill eachother. I don't want them to, but Sasha's aggressive towards him. And he's...He acts like he's above it, and I think that just makes it worse..."

"Yeah...Jay seems to be a bit of a puzzle...At least to me...He seems arrogant, but also seems humble at times. And Sasha...She's just rebellious. And Jay's type make her angry just out of character." Anna glanced over at Jay, and over at Sasha,

"You don't think they'll have an actual fight, do you?" Nick considered this a moment,

"I'm thinking the chances are high...And I'm hoping we're there when it happens...At least we can do something about it." Anna continued toying with the food for a few minutes before eating. She didn't seem interested in eating much, but she ate everything on the plate. At that point, it was just past seven. Nick and Anna began attempting to wake Jay and Sasha...As it turns out, this was their first true challenge. Anna tried shaking Sasha awake, and speaking to her, but her actions didn't seem to even register. Nick tried to get Jay up with force, but he seemed able to sleep through a hurricane, every now and then muttering something about tests or something called a Dark Voice...After ten minutes of failing to wake them, they stood for a minute...

"Maybe we should just let them sleep...Perhaps they'll wake up in time for class?"

Nick chuckled, "And maybe I'll get my left arm back...No...Why don't we switch. You try to get this one awake, I'll...try to wake Sasha."

Anna nodded in agreement, and they walked past eachother to the other's beds. Nick looked at Sasha for a moment, then shook his head to order. He thought for a moment...If he did something wrong, Sasha would probably skin him and burn him...Instead, he yanked the blanket from the bed. He knew she wore clothes to bed...He'd seen them the first night they were there. So it wasn't a problem. Sasha, now exposed to the cold morning air without the blanket covering her, sat up, her hair a bit scruffy on one side. She quickly rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked at Nick,

"Why did you take my damn blanket?" She muttered through a yawn.

"I needed you to get up...And it worked..." Sasha frowned and stood. After retrieving her bag, she almost walked from the room, but leaned over the small table where Nick had laid the plates...She took a deep breath in and examined the plates.

"Ursa steaks?" she asked, turning and looked back and forth between Nick and Anna. Anna pointed at stood and stuttered a moment, "Thanks," Sasha said, taking one of the plates and walking from the room. Nick looked over at Anna.

Anna smiled, "Your face is red..." she said, holding back laughter.

Nick rolled his eyes, "Just see if you can wake that one, ok?" Anna stopped laughing and looked down at Jay. She wasn't sure what to do...She leaned towards him a bit, and tried to whisper at him,

"Wake up now...We have to get ready for class..." Jay rolled over and she stood up again. She reached down and shook his shoulder gently. Jay muttered something inaudible, and began to stretch himself out. His eyes opened, and he looked around.

"Why have you woken me at this hour." It didn't sound like he was asking question. Anna looked at Nick, and he stood from where he had sat down.

"Because it's almost time for class, now get up and get ready." Jay scoffed, and continued stretching. Anna remembered the first day, where he had seemingly gotten completely ready in about five minutes. He stood, retrieved his bag and walked from the room without another word. He returned a minute or two before Sasha did, appearing alert with his glasses on, uniform donned. Sasha followed soon after, and looked at Jay for a moment with disdain in her eyes.

"Oh great...**He's** up..." she said sarcastically. Jay frowned for a moment.

"Oh joy, if it isn't Miss Class & Intellect. Have a good hibernation?" he mocked.

Sasha gritted her teeth, "I will set you on fire without even striking a match." she threatened.

"Oh yes, cause threatening me will immediately make it all better." He began clapping, giving her a mocking smile and shaking his head, "Good job...Just a terrific job. The world is now free of all people you hate. Don't you feel better? No? Oh well gosh...I thought your threat would fix-"

"Oh my Monty, Jay, shut up...And you," he pointed at Sasha, "Calm down already. Neither of you are getting anywhere with this." Nick came to stand between them.

"...Nick's correct. Let's just try to get through this single day without fighting." Jay said. Sasha looked like she calmed at least a little, but didn't acknowledge Jay's statement. Instead, Anna took her bag and stepped out to get ready. She returned a minute later, after Jay and Nick had finished eating. They all gathered their things for class left after Anna returned. They didn't have to walk quickly, they'd have plenty of time. When they got to their first period class, a class taught by one Professor Port. They sat down with Jay at the end, then Nick, then Anna, then Sasha. Nick hoped to keep them well away from eachother...Nick smiled though, happy that he'd only had to stop one argument this morning. Just as the class was beginning, two more teams arrived. Nick and Jay exchanged glances, and Sasha and Anna looked at eachother and held back laughter. They recognized these teams as Team RWBY and Team JNPR. The two teams took their seats, in odd patterns, and the class began.

Immediately Professor Port launched into a monologue about Huntsmen and Huntresses, during which time it appeared that one of Team RWBY had begun to draw a picture of the Professor. Port had now moved on to a story about being a young hunter...The story was boring beyond belief. Nick leaned back, not even paying attention. He glanced to his right, and saw Jay, also not paying attention. Every now and then, he'd mutter to himself, as if talking to something that wasn't there. Nick frowned, trying to hear something, but couldn't. One of the times however, he caught Jay opening his eyes...And one of these times, the didn't fade from gold...But instead faded from a deep crimson. Nick wasn't sure what to think about this, but he disregarded it as the Professor cleared his throat, apparently taking attention from RWBY's leader's rather bad drawing of the Professor. At the same time, he looked to his left and saw Sasha wake with a jolt at his throat clearing. He continued the story, and Sasha rolled her eyes, attempting to get back to sleep. Anna didn't look interested, but she continued to listen, probably just out of obligation...In a few minutes, Professor Port spoke up, and one of Team RWBY stepped forward from her seat. Jay sat forward in his seat, ready to pay attention. Nick recognized one of the Schnee family when he saw them, and she left the room as people stared after her. She returned in about fifteen minutes, after changing into her battle clothing, and walked proudly onto the floor, where Professor Port had dragged a large cage onto the floor. The interior of the cage was dark, but that didn't matter to Jay. He could see what was in that cage. He smiled smugly and leaned back in his chair again. This wouldn't be any good entertainment...The girl, named Weiss, stood facing the cage. Professor Port cut the lock off of the cage, and the door fell open. A boarbutusk charged from the cage. Nick frowned, and his heart fell. Like Jay, he leaned back in his chair, thinking this wouldn't be any fun. He looked over at Sasha and saw her sleeping once more, and chuckled to himself. Anna saw this and smiled, muttering to him,

"Your face is red again..." Nick took the smile from his face and watched the fight. The boarbutusk was wrestling with Weiss's weapon, which had become caught in it's tusks. Nick was a little shocked. For a Schnee, she wasn't very good. The beast threw her weapon off behind it. Nick rolled his eyes and heard Jay mutter something to himself. The leader of Weiss's team was trying to give her good advice, but Weiss seemed adamant not to take it. Instead, she retrieved her weapon, and killed the beast. Nick was disappointed that she couldn't take that thing quicker. But after finally killing the thing, and appearing exhausted after doing so, Professor Port dismissed the class.

Anna had to wake Sasha before they walked from the room.

Nick turned to Jay, "So, what's next for today, genius..." Jay frowned at Nick, appearing to not be in a good mood. Nick wasn't sure why...He seemed to completely disregard the earlier confrontations with Sasha, so why was he annoyed?

He spoke up, "Nothing. We only had one class today. That class was to serve as a sort of orientation, giving a summary of classes to come. Everyone in first year had that class. The rest of the day, at least today, is ours to get settled in." He spoke with evident annoyance, when he finished, he began walking towards the dorm without a word.

Nick was a little shocked, "What's **his** problem all of a sudden..."

Sasha responded sarcastically, "He's just an asshole, ignore him."

Nick turned to her, "He's not really...He's a good person...I think...He was muttering to himself earlier, maybe he's just annoyed at the class...Let's go." They all followed him back to the dorm. When they returned, they found Jay rummaging through his things. It suddenly struck Nick that they had to decorate the room...

"Oh lord..." Nick muttered.

Jay looked up and smiled, "That's right...Make peace with your gods...Because we know have to...Well, you know." Nick prayed to Monty, and Jay muttered to Castiel. They steeled for what would probably be a hellish experience...


	4. Chapter 4: Escalation

The room was in chaos. Nothing was seeming to go right for the team. First off, Sasha had an entire desk she wanted to set up. Jay continued to shout about how unacceptable this was, as they already wouldn't have room for the beds. Furthermore, Nick had set up an entire portion of the wall for the spot where he would hang the head of his slain manticore, which Jay also stated would not be happening. Nick wasn't going to argue, and just do it instead. Everyone continued shouting, except for Anna, who looked around feeling claustrophobic and quite scared.

Sasha continued, "It's my damn desk, and I'll set it up where I please!"

"Not if you would be taking space that would otherwise serve a better purpose!"

"And what purpose would **that** be, genius?! We already don't have room for the beds!"

"No, we don't, which is why conservation and equal distribution of space is paramount, and you are simply being unreasonable! Perhaps if the desk was being used by **everyone**, and was placed in a more suitable position, it would be acceptable!"

"You aren't touching my desk! End of story! Anna can use my desk, hell, even Nick if he asked, but not. You." She finished in a huff.

"Look, Jay, maybe-" He stopped though as he looked over at Jay. There wasn't any mistaking it this time. One of his eyes had turned red...

"No, Nick. If it is not going to be used equally, it shall not be set up UN-equally."

"THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!"

"To someone like you, I expect it wouldn't."

"Someone like **me?** What in hell's that supposed to mean?! You know what? I don't even care! I'm kicking your ass now!" Sasha began to reach for her sword, and took a step forward. Jay didn't flinch, and instead stood firm, narrowing his eyes, one of which still remained red, along with the other's gold color. Nick stood forward between them and put his arms out, the left one by Sasha, and his right by Jay.

"Guys! What is **with** you two...Any excuse you get to fight, you'd rip eachother to shreds..."

Jay spoke up, "Interesting you phrase it like that. If she wants a fight, it's a fight she'll find...I don't want to start it."

"Too bad. You started it. You started it with that god-damned attitude of yours! You started it when you knocked down my friend!" Sasha shouted at him.

At this, Anna gathered her courage and shouted, almost coming to tears, "He didn't push me! We walked into eachother! It wasn't his fault! And no one was hurt anyway! I don't want to say this...But Sasha...You're wrong!" Jay looked over at Anna for a moment...Then his eyes widened and he clapped his hand over his left eye, which was the one that had turned red. He stuttered for a moment, looking around, unable to think. Then he turned and walked from the room. Nick thought about stopping him, but didn't see a point. He'd return when he'd calmed down. He thought instead he spend his time calming the tension here in the room. He looked first at Anna, who was sitting down on the ground, still looking a bit flustered.

Then he turned to Sasha, "Why are you guys fighting?"

"IT'S NOT-" she began, but he interjected,

"That's not what I mean. Like...Really, how did this start? What happened? And try and tell it calmly..." Sasha breathed in and out, calming herself before she began.

"He walked right into her...Basically pushed Anna to the ground, then when I grabbed him, he nearly broke my arm, and didn't even apologize. Just walked away with that stupid arrogance. And it just got more annoying from there..."

Anna spoke up again, "He didn't push me down. Neither of us was paying attention to the other. We didn't see eachother, a ran into eachother. That point on your wrist was a pressure point...He just used it to get you to let go, you had him off of the ground. And he helped me up and everything..." Nick thought about this for a moment...Two very different versions that still seemed to agree on the occurrences themselves...His gut told him that Anna was probably right.

So he turned to Sasha, "It seems to me that the only problem was a misunderstanding...Perhaps you should just talk with him?"

"I'd rather just cut my tongue out...Even if it was a misunderstanding, he's been nothing but an arrogant asshole ever since, and I hate everything about it..." Sasha spoke with anger and conviction. Nick sighed...He wasn't sure where Jay would even go at this Academy, or what he'd be doing. But perhaps for now...

"Well at the very least, let's try to forget our annoyance...Ok? It's not even the end of our first day as a team..." Nick said, hoping to at least diffuse violence. How long would that last? He wasn't sure...**  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Jay had gone to find a large empty room. A space to examine his thoughts in piece. He found a gym down the hall, which was completely empty. It had a control panel on one wall that would synchronize with your scroll to activate training exercises. Jay wouldn't need that though. He walked into the center of the room, and sat down, crossing his legs. He clapped his hands together in front of himself, and closed his eyes. He sorted through his thoughts...The thoughts of himself, the Light Voice, and the thoughts of the Dark Voice. 'That bitch needs to die...Let's go kill her...Oh come on, even you're sick of it by now! First that faunus chicky gets in my way, then her obnoxious bitchy bitch friend won't stop bitching and attacking over it...Let's just shut her up.' 'No...She believes she's defending her friend...It's as much her fault as it is mine. I'll not be the one to bring it that far...We should talk to her. Make her see reason. I believe I can.' 'Nah...Let's just crush her skull...She wants a fight...A fight with me will cost her though...' 'No. We can't do that. We can't. Perhaps I will just tone out my arrogance...Perhaps I will just...Be passive. Submissive if I have to. Maybe if I do that, she'll let this go.' Jay continued to argue with himself, weighing the situation, hoping to find a dignified solution...Or perhaps just a solution. He was team leader...Well, co-team leader. Nick would help out to, if he asked...He just had to let this blow over. If he couldn't settle this, then perhaps he shouldn't be team leader...Even co-team leader. Just then, the door to the gym opened, and he heard rolling wheels along with footsteps.<p>

A voice rang out in the large gym, "Whatcha doin' in here, all by yourself...Why aren't you with your team, first-year?" Jay's eyes popped open, and he turned. He recognized that voice...He turned and stood, pushing his glasses up on his nose to see Mickey walk up behind him, rolling a large cart behind her. She had a wide smile on her face, as she usually did. Jay smiled just at seeing the face of his very protective acting guardian.

"MICKEY!" he exclaimed walking up to her. They both gave eachother a hug, trying to squeeze the breath from the other's lungs for a second before letting go. Jay took a step back, still smiling, "Still shorter than me, eh?" he joked.

"You've been gone 4 days...What was going to change?" she said to the joke they'd had for two years. Mickey squinted and looked at his left eye, which still had shards of red color in it. "Still wrestlin' with those inner thoughts, eh? Meditation not finished?" she asked in reference to the Dark Voice.

"Yeah...I've been a little...Short fused lately...I was just trying to calm down...But why exactly are you here?" then he realized it was a stupid question. He knew why she was here. She gestured to the cart behind her.

"I'm delivering some Dust orders to the students...Interestingly enough, I've got yours right here." She opened the side of the cart and pulled out a small box, tossing it over to Jay. The box had his name on it, 'Jay Overstrand.' Jay smiled and opened the box, examining the small containers filled with a familiar colored Dust mixture. The mixture he used in his Tonfas.

"Thanks, Mickey." he said.

"So I spoke with Ozpin...Co-leader, eh? This...Nick guy...What do you think of him? Will he make a good co-leader?" she asked, trying to get him to focus his thoughts.

"Nick's a good enough person. He acts on his gut...Very impulsive. Not stupid though, he's...Smart at least. He also curses...Alot...We killed a Manticore...He's strong as well. So yes, I think he'll be a great co-leader."

"And your other teammates?"

"Well, there's Sasha and Anna...Sasha's violent, angry, stubborn, protective, and not very smart...The last is Anna, a faunus girl with purple hair. She seems not very outgoing, quite shy, bordering submissive. But I wager she's got something in her...Something powerful. She's pretty tolerant..."

"So it sounds like you don't like that Sasha girl...What about Anna? She sounds like a nice girl..."

Jay paused, considering her tone, "I don't like where you're going with that, Mickey...Anna's...A teammate. Barely an acquaintance right now..."

Mickey grinned a slightly mischievous grin, "Well that can change quickly...Might I suggest you guys all sit down and talk? All of you...Talk about anything, and you might find some common ground...Who knows, you may actually make friends with your own team." She turned and got her cart, moving back towards the door. "Well, for now, I'd better get back to my work...I'll see you again." She walked towards the door. Jay closed his left eye, and could feel it had returned to it's gold, then faded to hazel.

"Hey Mickey, be careful." he said.

She stopped and turned, "Don't die..." Then she walked out. Jay stood and moved towards the other exit. He knew that Nick would be trying to calm Sasha down, and make it easier for everyone to get along, but Jay decided to go on a walk for a while...Just to give it time. He thought that to be the best course of action at the moment. He'd return after a few minutes...

* * *

><p>Jay returned in ten minutes, after going to Ozpin and getting something he thought would be useful. The room was silent as he came in with the large bag that Ozpin had let him use. Nick looked up from where he was sitting. They had begun to assemble the desk, and had it in exactly the spot Jay had said he didn't want it. Jay stared at it for a minute. Then he looked at Nick, who didn't say anything, just trying to keep his gaze. He looked over at Anna, who still looked like she would sit in a corner and wait for the fighting to stop if it started. He couldn't have that...Instead he looked back to Sasha. The two of them kept there eyes locked, and Sasha kept a defiant look on her face. Jay thought back to what he had said when thinking to himself. He broke the staring contest, and walked over to the bed where Anna was.<p>

"I'm...I'm sorry I knocked you over on the first day. It was a foolish error in awareness on my part." Anna opened her mouth a couple of times, trying to speak, but couldn't. Before she could gather a voice, Jay turned and walked to the door. But instead of leaving, he removed his shoes. Then he walked to one side of the door, and from the bag, produced a small ladder, that he hooked into the wall. It came up to about his eye. Anna stared at him, wondering what he was doing. He removed, from the same bag, a large soft, folded square of some odd material. Letting it unfold and fall beneath him, he took the hook on one end, climbed the ladder, and began to use the mechanism on it to hook the hammock onto the ceiling, parallel to the wall, right above the ladder. The hammock had a long wooden pole on one side, so that the bed space would stay out flat when someone was sleeping on it. Nick's mouth dropped in shock of what he was seeing...He'd always loved hammocks...

And Anna finally spoke up, "Um...Jay...What are you doing?"

"Providing a solution." he said simply. The hook had been completely and safely drilled into the ceiling, and the went about doing the same on the other side. The hammock's bed space was huge and padded, and it hung about 3-4 feet from the ceiling. Then, climbing down, he walked over to the other side of the door, and produced another hammock, that he hung from that side in the same way. After he was finished, he back away to see the hammocks in place. Then he turned to his team, "Who wants a hammock?" he asked. Nick immediately stood, and walked over to one of the ladders jutting out from the wall. He climbed it, and sat on the hammock, then he laid back with his hands crossed behind his head.

"Fuckin' A, Jay...This is such a great decision, I literally see no downside..."

"Yes, well, the rooms are small for four people...So I thought he wanted us to get creative. Turns out he has these for students who ask him for them...Bit of a secret puzzle. Took me a while to think of this as a solution." He turned to Sasha, " Keep your desk...I won't be needing use of it anyway...It's not like any of the work is difficult for me...I'll just do it during classes." Sasha didn't speak, nor did her expression change. Anna stood and went over to claim the other hammock...She always kinda attributed it to her faunus heritage, but she liked things like hammocks...They were a nice fit. Jay walked over and laid down on the bed she had been sitting on. If it was no longer hers, he'd use it. The desk was on the other side of Sasha's bed, in the corner. Jay would just have to forget about it.

The day wouldn't be over for a while yet, so instead they all got their things from their bags and set them up by their area. On the ground next to each ladder, Nick and Anna set up tables to hold their stuff. Jay was fine with the nightstand and his dufflebag. He didn't have many things, being a traveler, and Sasha set up her things on her desk. On her desk, she placed a large ornate candle. It had twists in it's design, and under the white surface was light blue wax. It had a picture on the flat front of it. The picture was of a little faunus girl with blue-ish pointed ears like a dogs...The name under the picture read Skye. She turned the candle to face away from the room. Jay considered this, but put the thought off as the day came to an end. Nick and Sasha had gone off with their nightwear to shower and change. The rule had been one person per gender per team use the showers at a time, so Jay and Anna sat waiting for them t get back. Jay hated silences like these...But he could tell it was just as agonizing for Anna.

Finally he cleared his throat and spoke up, "Thanks for trying to clear the situation earlier..." Anna looked up at him, a little surprised he's spoken to her.

"Oh, don't worry about it...It was true, you didn't do it on purpose...And you helped me up and such...But why did you apologize?"

"Just trying to mend the tear. I'm hoping to be a decent team leader. And I'm unsure I can do that if I'm in a feud with one of my teammates. Hopefully she'll let it go. I let her keep her desk, I don't even need to use it, and the space issue is solved."

Anna shook her head, "I doubt it...Hopefully, but Sasha's not the type to let it go so easily."

"That's what I was afraid of." Jay said to her. Nick returned first, and immediately climbed into his hammock. He raised the panel from his arm and started mess around with it's settings. Jay nodded at Anna, and retrieved his things. He passed Sasha in the hall, but made no comment as he dodged her shoulder, which once again she'd tried to ram into him. After he showered, he walked back to the room to find Sasha already asleep, with Nick still messing with the scroll in the panel. He went and got into bed, and Anna came in a few minutes later. Nick finished whatever he was trying to set up, and went to sleep. Hopefully they'd be a bit more of a team in the morning, but Anna was still worried...Things like that didn't just happen in one night...

* * *

><p>The next two days were as difficult as the first...Sasha simply wouldn't get over her anger at Jay. Anna and Jay tried play at friends, mutually hoping to calm Sasha, but it didn't work. She still glared and pushed and lashed out with insults as much as she could. And with each, Jay could stand it less and less. On day three, they were in the main room, with Professor Goodwitch on the stand, watching a match between two students. Jay did his best to look away, because this was day three. Day three that Ms. Goodwitch had let the boy named Jaune Arc go up against Cardin Winchester. This was day three that Cardin attacked ruthlessly. Jay was beginning to get annoyed. The match was going as it usually did, Jaune getting knocked around by Cardin. He looked over at Jaune's team. The girl with red hair was watching with fury in her eyes, and looked ready to remove organs. Jay thought about it for a minute. Finally, he couldn't take it. He remembered back to what he'd read in the handbook. The one that apparently only he had read. He pulled out his scroll, and began to tap away. Nick noticed and tried to watch, but Professor Goodwitch's scroll had rung out. Cardin stopped, mid-swing.<p>

Professor Goodwitch spoke up, "Jaune, you may step down."

Jaune stood and looked at her, "S-step down?" he asked.

"Yes. You have been tagged out of this match." Then she spoke up loudly, "Would the person who volunteered for Jaune step forward?" Nick's eyes widened, and he knew it even before she said it, "Jay Overstrand?"

Nick looked over at Jay, and he smiled, "This is why I read the handbook..." he muttered to Nick. Nick stared after him as he walked forward, pulling the hood on his coat up. As he walked up on the stage, he watched Jaune Arc walk over to his team. The redheaded girl put her arm on his shoulders, and they turned to see the match. Jay stood motionless, his hands still in his coat pockets.

Cardin tried to speak to him though, "Brave of you to volunteer in Jauney-boy's place...Not very smart." Jay didn't respond. He felt angry at Cardin. But mostly angry at Sasha. He hoped to get rid of some of that anger now.

"You gonna answer me or what?" Cardin spoke up again.

"I didn't come up here to talk..." Jay muttered, nearly inaudible. Cardin's face was visibly annoyed, and he charged towards Jay. Jay still hadn't moved to retrieve his weapon. Instead, he caught Cardin's mace mid-swing in his left hand. He quickly removed his right hand and struck Cardin at the base of the breastbone with all his strength. Cardin was pushed back, the wind knocked from his chest. He tossed the mace into his right hand, and before Cardin could recover, ran forward and swung. The blow knocked Cardin to the edge of the stage, where he teetered on the edge for a moment. Jay threw the mace at his stomach, knocking him off the stage. Cardin pushed himself onto his elbows, and stared angrily at Jay, who walked from the stage without a word. He went back and stood next to Nick, feeling at least a little better now that he'd gotten out his own anger.

Nick glanced at Jay, "You learned **that **from the handbook?" Nick asked incredulously.

"No. Not the fighting. That was me. I learned that there is a protocol in place to allow students to switch out during official Academy ring matches. I suspected that even if we weren't using the official ring, the rules are what we're learning, so I could probably put the protocol into effect."

"And the explanation for how you knew Goodwitch's scroll code?"

"It's in the handbook. All the teachers' are." Nick shook his head. He'd have to read that handbook himself, especially after seeing that display. After the class was dismissed, Jay stood by the door. Nick turned to see him, and Sasha and Anna stopped behind him.

"You waiting for someone?" Nick asked.

"In about three seconds..." Jay raised three fingers and began counting down on them. When he'd lowered the last finger, Team JNPR walked through the door. He stood up, and faced them.

Jaune stopped and spoke to him, "You didn't have to do that...Thanks, but...I can handle myself."

He and two other members began walking, but Jaune stopped and paused when the redheaded girl stopped and spoke to Jay, "Thanks for doing that back there. He doesn't want help, he's said that...But still. I appreciate it."

"I'm surprised you didn't do it yourself...Or perhaps not, seeing as not many people know that that protocol exists. And you...I've seen you, you've won tournaments. Official tournaments. The switching rule isn't in the official matches, so I'm not surprised you don't know about it. Here, let me show you how I did that." Jay had her remove her scroll and walked over to speak with all of Team JNPR and show them how to do the same.

Nick walked back over to Sasha and Anna. Sasha was looking down, and didn't look happy.

"Sasha, I thought you liked people supporting other people...Perhaps you should just forgive Jay already...He apologized, let you keep your desk, and is really trying to just get this out of the way."

Sasha glared at Nick, "No. He had to play the fucking hero, didn't he. He had to go up and show off, didn't he. He's not really sorry. He's just trying to pacify me so he can go back to being an arrogant asshole...Oh wait, he's been doing **that **the whole time. People like him have gotten everything he's wanted his whole life. People like him look down on people like me, and people like him...Who've never lost anything...They're the type that-..." She stopped. Her eyes were watery, and she looked like she was near tears, and Nick didn't know what to say...Anna stared at Sasha...The silence between them was deafening, despite the noise made by the other students. Jay walked back over and stood next to his team. He glanced around, a little put off by the sudden solemn tone. He opened his mouth to speak, but Nick looked sharply over at him, quickly flicking the index finger of his hand to his lips. Jay closed his mouth and looked over at Sasha, who immediately looked away. Jay began walking away, back the dorm. Nick walked past the girls, and Anna put her hand over Sasha's shoulder as she wiped the tears from her eyes. When they returned to the dorm, they sat in silence for an hour or two. No one knew what to say. When the showers were opened later in the day, Sasha didn't hesitate getting her things to leave the room to take a shower.

When she was gone, Jay turned to Nick, "Did I miss something? What happened? She looks like she's crying, and like she plans to murder me while I'm sleeping. I thought she'd respond well to helping Jaune out back there...She's all...Defensive and stuff, after all."

Nick shook his head, "As it turns out, she didn't appreciate your action. Rather...Hated your narcissism."

Jay was astonished at this, "My WHAT?! I've been trying to wave this stupid fight with everything I can...She can't **possibly **be that stubborn..."

"Well...After the class, while you were talking to Team JNPR...She was saying something that...Well...I think I understand why she's feeling this way." Nick stated. Jay couldn't believe what he was hearing. He grabbed his stuff and went to take a shower, hurrying so he wouldn't run into her in the hall, but he didn't need to worry. He finished showering and changing, and when he left, he found a line of women waiting outside the girls' bath. He addressed one of them and asked what the problem was. Apparently there was a girl who was really taking her time with the showers...Jay had his suspicion, but disregarded them, instead returning to the dorm, and trying to sleep. Sasha returned a few minutes later, and immediately got under her covers and went to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Jay woke up with Nick shaking him lightly by the shoulders. Within the short four days so far here at Beacon, Nick and Anna had learned to deal with Sasha and Jay's heavy sleeping. Sasha required a little force, whereas to wake Jay was the opposite. Jay sat up, and looked over at Anna, jumping up and down on Sasha's bed to get her up. Nick flicked Jay's head, and Jay turned sharply to whack him on the neck. This had started to become a challenge. Nick hadn't escaped Jay's hit yet. Jay wasn't quite sure how he felt about this little game, mostly because it was so annoying. He always hated people touching him. In any way. He stood, and Nick tossed Jay's bag at him.<p>

"Here, you can go shower first."

Jay looked up, "First, don't touch my things. Two, you always go first. Why change the routine now?" Nick considered this a moment.

"Because shut up and do it, fuckface. You need to loosen up. Starting now."

Jay frowned, "Be silent, you fool." he said as he walked from the room. On his way back, he didn't encounter almost anyone. Sasha wasn't there when he returned, but Anna was already showered and ready. They had to wait nearly half an hour before Sasha came back. They went down to the cafeteria and ate breakfast in silence, no one willing to break the tension that choked them all. After breakfast, they moved to the large gym, where their first class this morning was. When they got there, Sasha again rammed her shoulder into Jay's as they entered the door. Jay held back anger. When was this going to end...Again, Nick heard him mutter to himself. This gym was so huge because it held the official combat ring of Beacon Academy. They would be finishing learning the rules of an official match. Jay back up a step and didn't pay attention as Ms. Goodwitch came out onto the floor and began her lecture. Sasha flicked Jay's ear, and motioned angrily for him to pay attention. Jay wasn't willing to deal with much more.

He muttered towards her, "I already know this stuff. I don't need to pay attention..."

Sasha scoffed angrily, and whispered in return, "Of course you think that, you pompous motherfucker." Jay's hands shook. He would take no more.

He shouted over Ms. Goodwitch, "THAT'S IT! I've had ENOUGH!" He turned and stepped forward. "Ms. Goodwitch, I would like to issue an official challenge. By the rules, I believe so long as you are here, this challenge is valid. Furthermore, it would be an excellent..." He turned back and intentionally stared at Sasha as he finished, "Teaching tool." Sasha's eyes widened in anger. Ms. Goodwitch considered this.

"Very well...Who do you challenge?"

Sasha immediately stepped forward. "I accept."

"The challenge has been issued, and accepted. Both of you go and change into your combat gear." They left the room. They returned as quickly as possible, and stood facing eachother. Ms. Goodwitch stood for a few minutes using them as examples to teach the formal starting of a match. She had the students step back, out of the ring. She walked over, and stood in front of them, readying to protect the students from stray shots. Nick and Anna stood both with their mouths open, anxiety clear on their face. They wished this weren't happening. Jay stood with his arms crossed over his chest. The Dark Voice spoke up in his head, 'HAHA...I can't wait to put that aggressive bitch in her place...This is going to be fun.' Jay silenced the voice. He wasn't here for pure aggression. He was here to make an example. If the only way she'd learn was in combat, then that's how he would speak. Sasha stood, readying herself to crush Jay with all her strength. She was done with his arrogance. This was where she'd shut him up for the next four years. Ms. Goodwitch cleared her throat, and raised her hand, with her riding crop.

"BEGIN!" she shouted, lowering her hand.

Sasha took Loachsamhail from her back, and ran towards Jay. Nick cringed. Jay's eyes turned gold, with his left eye holding shards of red. He uncrossed his arms and dodged right as Sasha swung down towards him. Using her Semblance, Great Strength, she turned the blade and swung in an arc towards Jay, he dodged back this time, each move crisp and clear to him. She couldn't beat him. Her weapon required her Semblance. The more she used that strength to swing that blade, the clearer her aura and movements became. She couldn't bring him down. Using her strength in earnest now, she began to swing at him more and more. Each swing, Jay dodged back, and down, and left, and back again. Jay kept moving back, then as she took one particularly wide swing, Jay moved in towards her. He swung, using his bare fist. The blow hit her in square in the jaw. But Jay didn't stop. He continued pushing her this time, landing a total of 5 blows, knocking her back to the original position. Now Jay, getting serious, retrieved Photos and Umbra from his belt. They turned on the handle, and interacted with his aura to snap into place next to his arms. Jay again moved towards Sasha, watching carefully for her swing. But she didn't swing, and instead, pointed the tip to the ground and shot there. The shot ricocheted off the ground, and Jay dodged back from his charge. Sasha took her opportunity to jump back and put distance between them. Then, she raised her blade, and began to shoot at Jay. These shots weren't as clear as her attacks, but he could still see them. He weaved between the shots, and began to take shots of his own. The dust flares struck the flat of the blade as she raised it in defense. Jay was upon her quicker than she could move her blade back to position. Jay jumped over the swing she took to try and throw him back, and landed behind her. He put the elbow end of Photos to Sasha's back and pulled the trigger. The shot struck came out of the handle end though. The force shoved Jay back, throwing Sasha forward off of her feet. She landed on her stomach hard, but couldn't take the time to recover her breath. She got up on her palms, throwing her blonde hair from her face. Nick and Anna stood shocked, still surprised at what was happening. Jay turned to face her, and Sasha rolled to her feet, holding the giant blade in one hand, and turning. She had to immediately put her blade up to guard however, as Jay began shooting towards her. He varied the direction of his shots, shooting towards Sasha's feet and shoulders and even her head. Over and over again Sasha blocked, while Jay waled slowly towards her. With each step, Sasha stumbled back one step. However, Jay was counting down in his head, shot by shot...Eventually, he came down to the final five shots, and he counted intentionally out-loud. There was no point in hiding it. In five shots, he'd have to stop anyway. "Five, four, three, two, one." Upon the last shot, he raised his tonfas, and the mechanism on the back of the staff body shifted down and the empty containers were ejected. He reached into the pockets on his cargo pants and pulled out two more, one from each side. He threw them up, and let them fall into the handles, as the cover slid back into place, and the mechanism locked. But it was still too late. Sasha had moved to him, a spun the blade over her shoulder, taking a shot to help swing the blade over her shoulder, and came down with all her force. He crossed the tonfas over his head, and the blade came down on them, slamming Jay to his knees. Sasha put her left hand on the barrel and pressed down. Her strength continued pressing him. Jay wouldn't be able to hold her like this for long. Thinking quick, he shifted his weight, and rolled to the right. The blade came down and bit through his left leg. There was a four inch deep cut in his leg now, and he couldn't stand. But Sasha's blade had slammed into the ground, and was stuck. Jay took the chance he had, and threw himself off of his right leg with all his strength. He slammed the tonfa across her face. Blood came from her mouth as her teeth cracked, her jaw came out of place, and her inner cheek tore. He landed on the ground as she did. Neither could get up. Only then did either of them realize that Ms. Goodwitch had been shouting stop for the last ten seconds or so. Jay felt the sting of the cut on his leg, and the warmth of the blood. Nick and Anna ran forward. They glanced at eachother and each went to help pick up their teammate. Nick picked up Jay and held his arm over his shoulder, supporting him. Anna helped Sasha up and tried to help her, but she wasn't sure what to do.

Jay and Sasha were taken to the infirmary, where the nurse reset Sasha's jaw and gave her gauze to keep her mouth on while she placed the bandage on the torn tissue. Jay's leg had to be sewn up, and the nurse applied a special mixture of dust and medicine to help repair the torn muscle tissue. Ms. Goodwitch came in and told them that they would both be suspended from classes for 4 days while they healed. Jay cringed...Mickey was going to finish tearing his leg off. And Sasha couldn't speak, seeing as her jaw still needed time to heal some of the damage. Sasha's mother wouldn't be happy either though. Nick and Anna came in next.

Nick was the first to speak up, "Ok. Seeing as you're suspended, you're not going to be considered team leader until you're off." Jay didn't bother arguing.

Anna spoke up next, "We're done with this stupid fight between you two...Has it led anywhere good? No...We need to talk about this..." Together, Jay with Nick's support, they all walked back to the dorm.


	5. Chapter 5: Explanation

Nick closed the dorm room behind Jay as he pushed his wheelchair through the door. Jay was in a wheelchair because of the damage Sasha caused. Her last attack had forced Jay to his knees with such power that the patella's had both cracked almost all the way through. Jay's right knee was especially damaged after he threw himself off of it to attack Sasha. He also had a gash in his left leg that meant he wouldn't be walking for at least four days. Jay knew it would take longer for other people, but other people didn't know how to apply the power of their aura. Sasha could walk, but her mouth and jaw was bandaged up, as a result of Jay's last attack. The tissue in the cheek was badly torn, and several of her teeth would need the cracks repaired and filled, and her jaw had to be reset, so she couldn't speak, and couldn't eat without special assistance from a tube like device. Nick took the chair from Sasha's desk and placed it in between the feet of the beds, and sat on Jay's bed. Anna sat on Sasha's and Jay had moved himself to the back, in between the beds, with his back to the window.

Nick didn't hesitate to pierce the silence, "Ok. This is bullshit, and I'm sick of it. Jay, look at you. Not a week in, and you can't walk...And Sasha, you literally can't eat without help! Are you guys happy? Are you satisfied? Congratulations, each of you has officially broken the other. And now. You're going to fix it. You've had your go at eachother. Time to bury the hatchet. Now speak." He glanced at Sasha, "Or in your case, type on your scroll. Anna will use hers at the same time. Anna will read as you type, so that you can have your say. This will be fair, this will be unhindered. Say what you want, because when this is over, you two will **not** be allowed to fight again." Nick spoke as a father does to two siblings who were being mean to eachother. Sasha looked across at Anna, and reached for her scroll.

"You'd like to go first?" Anna said as she reached for her own scroll. Jay hadn't spoken a word, and instead simply sat patiently. Sasha opened a page to type onto, and sent out a link to Anna, so she could read as Sasha typed. Sasha put the tablet in her lap and began typing away. Anna cleared her throat and began, "My problem isn't with your actions. It's with your entire being...I once had a friend. Her name was Skye...She was...We were closer than sisters. She was a faunus." At this, Anna paused and looked up, remembering what Sasha had told her on day one...Then she went back to reading, "She was killed when she was eight. Eight. She died as a child, along with her mother. I was only eight myself...You can imagine how it changed me. I was ruined for nearly a month, before I even started to recover. After that, I spent practically every waking moment from then on learning to fight against the people who took her from me. I learned to identify the types...I know the people who committed that crime...I know exactly what they're like. I know exactly how they act. How they talk. How they move. Everything about them...I lost my very best friend," Sasha had finished typing before Anna had finished reading, and Sasha was staring at Jay with hate. "I lost her to people...Just like you. You've had everything you've always wanted. You look down on anyone who had less then you, because you think they're nothing but the sum of what they have. And you can't see past that." Anna finished reading...She looked at Jay, who hadn't moved or spoken a word. Sasha didn't take her eyes from Jay.

A minute passed, then two, before Jay spoke up, "You're wrong." He said simply.

Jay leaned forward in his chair. He thought about what he would do for a minute. After considering the situation, Jay realized what he needed to do. He needed to tell them...Besides, he wasn't team leader. It wasn't his decision. He was told to talk. He was told to help this situation level out. And to do that, he'd have to tell them about the day he became what he is.

He cleared his throat and began, "I do know loss. Interestingly enough, my experience...wasn't that different. When I was a kid, back in my hometown, I had a friend who lived in the town over. They weren't that far apart from eachother, our towns. My father and big brother worked in that town. Every now and then they'd bring me along. That's how I met my friend. Our towns were on the border of the kingdom you see...We experienced a few frequent attacks by Grimm. It wasn't difficult to deal with them, they never came in too large numbers. We hadn't seen any though for a long while. My dad and big brother left for work one morning...And later that day, we heard news of an attack. Grimm...Hundreds...Had come past the border, and attacked my friend's town. There were no survivors. Not a single man. Including my father and brother. My friend...His family...I still remember my friend's mother. She made lunch for us once...Then suddenly...Suddenly one day...They were gone. Just like that. Hundreds of people simply erased. My mom took me there later that day...The Grimm weren't there long. Buildings were knocked down...There was more blood than I can tell you about. And even as a kid...It struck me that among those people...Was my family. People I loved...People I thought the world of...People who were more than just black silhouettes...died along side people I didn't even know...It kinda...Baffled me I guess. I couldn't understand why it happened. I was just lost. I still wasn't sure how people who were there one second, fine and smiling and learning and...Ya' know...Could just...Be gone. I wanted to know. I wanted to know...Why it happened. I hoped to find the answer in studying the human mind. I took up psychology and philosophy. I began to ask questions of the world...Things that kids don't do...People found it odd. I didn't care though...They'd probably die just like everybody else...I started to think about what made the world cruel. And as I did, I became a relatively darker person. I lashed out at anyone. I spoke whatever I thought, and made an enemy of whoever so much as looked at me oddly. But I admit...That's not who I wanted to be...Not really. I didn't want to see the world as a vicious place, where you could die at the drop of a hat. Where no one's life mattered, because they could be dead as soon as me...But that's what it was. But I knew it was also something else. Sure people could be dead at the drop of a hat. But they also lived. Lived complex lives...That you could change and shape...Your life could be anything you wanted it to be, while you had it. It was beautiful. So I spent an entire year...Examining the world. I came across a psychological device in my studies called a Mind Palace...I studied methods to remember everything you needed to...Using that, I created a new viewpoint for myself. I decided that the world is what I make it. So for that year, I used meditation to separate the way I thought. Everything I wanted to be, everything I wanted to see in the world...I hold that to myself. I cling to those thoughts. But I couldn't just erase the others...No one can understand the world...If they can't see it from both sides...So everything else...All the darkness in the world...All the terrible disregard for anything, just the want to live for me, because nothing else mattered when you could be dead in a second...All of that ruthless brutal will...I stored it up...In that Mind Palace...I used...Imagery and imagination...I linked things to other things...I made it more then just...Just an information drive in my head. I made it an entire mindset. An entire different way of life and thought...It's hidden. Tucked away in a mind palace called the Dark Voice. It shows in my Semblance too...My Sight. I see the world clearly for what it is. But...This separation is something I have to maintain. I have to continue to separate my thoughts...Dark from Light...If I don't...Then my mind will become clouded and chaotic...And my Semblance will turn red instead of gold. My Sight is literally a way to see the world for what it is. By changing that mindset, I change the manifestation of my Sight." Jay stopped and turned to Sasha, "Like I said...You're wrong. No one is the sum of what they have. Any single soul is as valuable as anyone else's. No one has more value than another, or any less. You think I don't understand loss...That I can't possibly understand what drives you." Jay's voice was rising in volume as he became more agitated. "Well you're WRONG! I understand perfectly well. Yeah, I can be arrogant. Yeah, sometimes perhaps I'm stubborn...But don't think for one second that you can tell **me** what I am. I know what I am. I know how I seem...And I'm nothing like the fools who try and put value on something like a human being. I'm nothing like the fools who think that they're worth anymore than anyone. I think it would be well worth while to snuff out their lives like candles. Just as they do to others..." Jay's left eye had turned completely red.

Sasha was stunned. She wasn't sure what to think. She looked across at Anna, who didn't look back, but just continued to stare at Jay's red eye. Sasha closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what to believe...She felt stupid, but wanted to apologize. The two things that kept her from doing so, however, was pride and anger. Her jaw was badly damaged because of him. She couldn't **say** she was sorry, even if she wanted to. But she still kinda did want to. It was clear to her now that he wasn't what she thought he was...But she didn't want to back down and admit she was wrong. She still felt like she had to clench her fists and fight, like she had something to prove to someone...But...Who was she going to prove that to know? She'd taken Jay's ability to walk, at least for now. She'd proven his equal. She also remembered the past two days...Nick was right. He'd tossed pride aside. He'd apologized. He'd swallowed his annoyance at every turn. He'd bit his lip, and let her do as she wanted...And she still felt like she couldn't. She looked up and realized everyone was watching her. At that moment, she decided...He could toss his pride aside, so could she. She was just as strong. She typed away on her scroll. Anna realized what she was doing and looked down at her own.

She read aloud as Sasha typed, "If that's the case, then I owe you an apology. You aren't the pompous asshole I thought you were. Maybe I was just blinded by what I saw in the first place. There. You'll get no more outta me..." Anna stopped reading and smiled. Jay took his hand from his left eye, which had turned back to gold, and faded to it's normal color.

Jay smiled smugly, "That's all I wanted out of you. Now do me a favor...Don't speak to me until we're off suspension." Sasha nodded, and typed into her scroll.

"Agreed," Anna read.

Jay turned to Anna, and cleared his throat, "Uh...Again...I'm sorry for knocking you over. If I've seemed like an ass towards you, or treated you in any way that's less then kind, I'm sorry. I don't mean any insult."

Anna stuttered for a moment, "No, it's fine. You **are** nice. You've been very nice, despite what Sasha would've said." Sasha turned to Nick, and typed into her scroll, and Anna shook her head to return her focus, "Oh, uh...So it seems like you're actually a great team leader, Nick. Odd. I didn't peg you as the type to be able to take control like this. Decent job." Anna finished. The day was nearly over...It was difficult for Jay to get ready for bed, but he learned quickly. Sasha had to sleep with a special mask on, and had to keep in a single position so as not to disturb her jaw...And Nick...Nick wasn't worried. At this point, it seemed the problem was solved.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Anna shook Jay awake. Upon waking, Jay almost whacked her, like he did Nick, but stopped short realizing who it was. He sat up in his bed and looked around before returning his attention to Anna.<p>

"Uhh...I'm so sorry for almost hitting you...I just thought it was-"

Anna interrupted him though, "No, I know who you expected...I've seen him flick you most mornings, and you whack at him...So I understand why you almost did the same to me. You're really a creature of habit...I could almost set a clock to your routine..." Jay put his feet to the ground. He couldn't walk normally, but standing taking a step or two would be fine. He stood and stumbled over to the chair. Anna grabbed his arm to support him. He sat down and went to retrieve his things.

Before he left to get ready, he turned to Anna, "Where'd Nick and Sasha go?"

"They went down to get breakfast...She can't eat without a special tool, so they went early so she could eat and return as quick as she could without having to deal with people watching her." Jay shook his head, and left to go get ready. Anna grabbed her stuff and left to do the same. Luckily for Jay, Beacon had special tubs for those who were in wheelchairs. As it turns out, Ozpin couldn't let students in if they were in a wheelchair, mostly because of Initiation, but it happened often enough that students would find themselves temporarily in wheelchairs, so he had a few facilities put in for them. After he was clean and dressed, Jay returned to the room. Sasha and Nick had yet to return. Jay rolled over to his bag and retrieved his black coat. Uniform or no, he'd wear his coat. Suddenly, Anna spoke up, "Did you mourn?..." Jay dropped his coat out of shock.

"W-what?" He asked. He thought he knew what she'd said, but wasn't quite sure.

Anna asked again, "Did you mourn? Your family...Your father and brother and friend...Did you mourn them?"

Jay picked his coat up, "...No. Not really. I doubt that's what they would've wanted me to do. Besides, you should've seen my mom. I couldn't mourn, she did plenty of that for the both of us. She tried to be strong...I don't think she's completely over it, even now. I think it helped that I was still around. When I left, she promised me she'd be ok. I keep writing to her though. Sending her money and such." Anna didn't know how to respond, and instead they sat waiting for Nick and Sasha.

Nick and Sasha were just returning from breakfast. Nick held two plates in his left hand, one for both of their other teammates. Sasha was holding her scroll and typing, so that Nick could read what she was saying. Nick read her words aloud, despite her opposition to this.

"Nick, thanks for helping us get over our fighting. You're a good leader. I'm sure you'll do as well in the future..."

Nick laughed, "I'm sure I will...I'm not as inept as you'd believe by looking at me...That lamp post thing was an accident." Sasha laughed behind the bandages. It kinda hurt her jaw, but she didn't mind it.

She typed more onto her scroll, and Nick read aloud again, "I never thought of you as inept...You don't look inept, at the least. That arm, for instance...Must have been some accident."

Nick nodded and looked sideways at Sasha, "Yeah...That...I'm...I...That's what made me what I am. I used to be a thief. A really good thief. But...Unfortunately, I made a mistake, and took the wrong job. I was hired to steal a weapon from a Schnee warehouse...When I went to turn it in...My employers tried to kill me. I ended up having to make a choice...Then again, it wasn't really a difficult choice. I only had two options...Do nothing, and certainly die...Or take a chance, and only maybe die...Like I said, it wasn't really a difficult choice. It cost me my arm though. Thanks to an old friend, I got this arm, and was able to become a huntsmen..." Sasha didn't type for a moment, unsure of what to say. Nick read as she resumed her typing, "I'm sorry that happened to you...You must be really strong to have made such a decision..." Nick didn't speak, instead turning his face away. He could feel it had become red. He wasn't sure to do. The silence dragged on moment by moment, and the two minutes that past made Nick feel like he'd die of old age before it ended. Sasha tapped his shoulder, and Nick turned to face her. She saw his face was red, and even beneath her bandages, he could see hers turn red for a moment. Sasha then began to tap away on the screen, and Nick turned back to his scroll, worried about what she'd written.

He still read it aloud, "Were you just blushing? For a powerful ex-thief, and current Beacon Team Leader, that isn't very..." Nick cut off, because Sasha hadn't typed anymore. He glanced over to her, and her fingers twitched, and her eyes looked like she was trying to think of a word to use. After a moment, she shook her head typing, "Nevermind." They came to the door of their dorm room, and Sasha opened the door. Inside, Jay and Anna sat waiting. It was clear the silence in the room was quite overpowering. Nick put down the plates and went to get his stuff to go shower. Sasha did the same. Nick did everything he could to avoid Jay's gaze. It didn't appear to work. Jay squinted at Nick, through his glasses, letting his eyes flash gold, and seeing Nick's red face. Nick left quick though, as did Sasha.

Jay turned to Anna after they left, "Is it just me, or was Nick's face...red?"

Anna looked over at Jay, "I'm not sure...I didn't see."

* * *

><p>Two more days passed by, and Nick thanks his creator, Monty, that there wasn't even a single fight. Jay and Sasha didn't interact much. They were talking at least, or in Sasha's case, typing while he read, and they weren't killing each other. They just walked the grounds, Sasha helping Jay move, and waited the day out while Nick and Anna went to class. On the second morning, however, after everyone had gotten ready, there was a very loud crash, as the door was suddenly kicked open by an older brunette woman in a t-shirt and jeans. In the hallway behind her was a small cart. Jay immediately went silent, his eyes widening in fear as he tried to roll himself into a corner and seem small. She marched over to the other side of the bed where Jay was. Nick went and stood in between her and Jay, but she grabbed him by the shirt and tossed him over the one bed like a rag-doll. Nick landed on the other bed, and walked up to Jay. She crossed her arms over her chest and stood menacingly over him.<p>

Jay immediately began stuttering before bringing order to his words, "Look, it's ok now...I'm...Uh...Mickey look, there was this argument. It was a misunderstanding. And she was angry because she thought something, but it was actually something else, and there was arguing and pushing,-" Mickey interrupted him by smacking him over the head.

"SUSPENDED!" She yelled. "You've been SUSPENDED! For FOUR DAYS!" Jay stammered more and more, unable to face Mickey's punishing gaze. "And if that weren't enough, it was for GETTING INTO A FIGHT! With a GIRL! Who's jaw, you BROKE!"

Jay tried to speak up, "But it was-"

"NO! No excuses...And to top off this expo-say, YOU'RE. IN. A. WHEELCHAIR!" She stopped speaking, huffing after her shouting. She crossed her arms over her chest. Jay had given up at this point, and was hanging his head. Anna, Nick, and Sasha stood on the other side of the room, with both beds in between them and Jay. They all just stood speechless, with their mouths hanging open (except for Sasha's,) unable to move or intervene. Suddenly the woman turned her furious attention to them. All of them stopped breathing for a moment. Just then, Sasha stepped out from the group. She walked over slowly to the other side of the room, and stood to face Mickey. Mickey turned around, bringing her whole body to face Sasha.

Mickey began, "And you. You're the girl who put my boy in this wheelchair. What have you to say for yourself?" Sasha couldn't speak, and Mickey knew it. She couldn't answer, and just stood silently. It was kind of torturous..."I spoke with Ozpin. Apparently, you tormented him for the past week, before accepting a challenge to a fight. He should never have made such a challenge, and YOU should never have accepted. Was it worth it? Are you happy, being suspended? Are you happy being unable to eat? ARE YOU HAPPY, NOT EVEN BEING ABLE TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO SPEAK UP?!"

Mickey turned to Nick, "Well?! What happened? Who instigated this whole thing? Did either of you try to solve it?" Nick and Anna took turns stuttering, "Speak. Clearly." She said furiously. Anna ducked down, and shut her mouth.

Nick paused, and cleared his throat, attempting to speak up, "I suppose it was Jay who started it, and Sasha who escalated it. Jay was kind of arrogant to her, and it really got to her in a dark place. So she didn't drop her anger, even when Jay tried to make peace. It was both of their fault." Nick finished. Mickey turned back to Sasha.

"He tried...To make peace. And you. Didn't. Let him." She enunciated each word, and Sasha flinched slightly at each one. Sasha thought to herself, 'What's with this woman...She's breaking me down...And I'm a little scared...' Mickey couldn't hit her over the head, and couldn't think another thing to do...So instead, she decided to let the silence drag on a bit more, just to drive her point in.

Nick couldn't stand this, so he cleared his throat, and attempted to choke out something to calm the situation, "Um...Listen...Mickey, is it? The situation between them was bad, I agree...But it's not anymore. They haven't fought or even argued since. They've resolved their differences, and are trying to get along...They accept what they did was wrong, and right now, they're facing the consequences...Jay isn't considered a Team Leader until he's off of suspension. So, you see...Everything's ok now." Mickey looked over at Nick, who had said his piece, and was now being silent. Mickey considered his words for a moment. Even Jay felt a glimmer of hope that this would quell Mickey's wrath. They stood silent for a minute. It was like waiting for the final few seconds before a jury made the verdict. Finally, Mickey sighed, and her face looked to calm down.

Nick smiled inside, attempting not to let it show. Mickey looked at him again, "You've got a good head on your shoulders. See to it that you use it properly." Nick smiled now, as Mickey walked past Sasha to the cart in the hall. She took the cart, and wheeled it away without another word. Anna slowly came to her feet, and looked at Jay.

"Who in hell was that?!" She asked in a shocked tone.

"My guardian..." Jay responded.

* * *

><p>After the Team's first encounter with Mickey, Jay explained to them that Mickey was his guardian. And that he probably wouldn't be at Beacon if he hadn't met her in the first place. He omitted the crystal idol though. He wasn't sure he should tell Nick about that just yet. Not until he knew him well enough. Sasha couldn't speak, but she wasn't sure she wanted to right now...Mickey scared the hell out of her. If a woman like that knew how to fight like a Huntress, Sasha was sure she'd be six-feet under right now. But after that, day two of the suspension past without incident. But when Nick and Anna returned from class, they said that apparently, Cardin Winchester wasn't there. They weren't sure why. It didn't bother them. Anna suspected that he might try to get revenge on Jay for the small but brutally quick and humiliating fight they'd had, but even in a wheelchair, she was sure Jay could handle it. On day three, after getting ready, Nick and Anna went out to class. Sasha and Jay were still getting used to the boredom, but they managed. Lucky enough, Sasha was getting her bandages off today, and she'd be able to talk and eat. Jay still had to wait a day, even with the application of his aura, the nurse wanted to make sure his knees were repaired. Trying to fight or run at a combat school, with broken knees was apparently a dangerous idea. At about 11:30, they left to go down to the nurses. Sasha moved quickly, ecstatic to finally be able to speak properly again, and was trotting along, turning back to Jay every now and then and motioning for him to hurry up. When they got to the nurses office, Sasha went right in, strutting like she owned the place. The door closed behind her, and Jay was left to wait in the hall. Jay rolled around in the hallway for a few minutes, bored out of his mind. It seemed to take forever, but he knew not long had past. But he stopped rolling however, when he noticed someone walk up to him from around the hall. Jay frowned and rolled his eyes. He suspected it would happen, and sure enough, before him stood Cardin Winchester. Jay shook his head while smiling.<p>

Cardin had already pulled out his mace, "You know...I don't appreciate what you did the other day. In fact...I think I'm going to crush you for it...Wheelchair boy..."

Jay seemed as disinterested as one could be, "Cardin, I didn't even have to touch my weapons last time. It still took me all of five seconds to knock you on your ass. You think me being in a wheelchair changes that? With my weapons, it wouldn't matter what you did. By the end of this fight, you will be crying...Like a little...Bitch." He finished with a mocking tone and a smug smile. Cardin's face turned furious, and he walked up to Jay, just out of Jay's reach, but just within his own. He brought his hand down, and Jay prepared to do the same thing as last time. Suddenly, the door behind them closed, and someone's arm had wrapped around Cardin's neck, and a hand had grabbed his arm. Jay's eyes raised in surprise as Sasha lifted Cardin off of his feet, still holding his neck and arm and turned around, and shoved him forward. Cardin stumbled at her strength and tripped forward. Sasha stood in between Cardin and Jay, and stretched her shoulder muscles and jaw, newly free from it's bonds. She methodically stretched her jaw, twisting it this way and that, opening and closing it.

She sighed, "Finally. I can talk again. I walk out of the nurses office, ready to finally go have a proper lunch for the first time in three days, and what do I find?" Cardin had gotten up and turned to face Sasha, "An asshole, tryin' to pick on a friend o' mine. You got alot of nerve, attacking a guy in a wheelchair." Jay smiled and shook his head, not bothering to interrupt.

Cardin stood, "I'm surprised you're protecting him...You are the one who put him in that chair, aren't you stupid little-"

"Blah. Blah. Blah. Are we gonna do this, or are you just gonna talk my fuckin' ear off..." Cardin was fed up with Sasha's sass...He ran towards her, and swung a wide swing. She flicked her hand up, and with only a slight push in strength, smacked the mace from Cardin's grip. It struck the wall and fell to the ground next to Jay's wheelchair. Jay leaned over and picked it up. Sasha didn't wait for Cardin to recover. She put her palm lightly to his chest plating, and applying her Semblance, shoved hard. Cardin flew back and slammed through the door into the nurses office. He groaned a little, and Jay rolled in to behind him, moving around the fallen door.

The nurses ran over, and one addressed Jay, "What in hell happened?!"

Jay placed the mace lightly beside Cardin and looked at the nurse who was kneeling over Cardin, who was still making noises, "...He tripped." Jay said simply, before rolling out of the office, and going with Sasha to get lunch. As they went, Jay looked up at Sasha, "Thanks. I could've handled that, but thanks...I take it to mean that we're no longer at war?"

Sasha nodded, "Yup...I still think you're arrogant...But no...We're good now."

**(AN Thank you for reading the first arc of our story, im sorry i forgot to update this yesterday, so here it is, also sorry for the update a few minutes ago, i saw it had come out as that weird type thing. Please rate and review, and if you have any ideas, put them in a review or PM me on here or on AO3, thank you)**


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